tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017Wed, 15 Oct 2014 12:28:41 +0000Stats AT Map progress Chris OdomStats on the A.T.Here are the details and pre-hike planning of my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail (AT) in 2012.http://atstats.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)Blogger172125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-1926258333500726868Mon, 13 Aug 2012 00:44:00 +00002012-08-13T06:42:41.591-07:00This may be my last post.<div><p>Hi all! I am doing well in Monson, Maine - the last trail town on the AT. This area of the country is wild and remote, so posting to my blog has not been possible. I'm sorry. </p><p>I'm about 115 miles from finishing. Today I enter the 100-mile Wilderness and then Katahdin! I came into town limping on an injured left foot. I didn't do anything precipitous to cause the injury, it just hurts to stand on it. I guess hiking 2,000 miles is taking it's toll. There's no visible sign that there's anything wrong, it's not discolored or swollen, the bones on top of the foot just hurt when I stand up and occasionally the area throbs. If it were raining I wouldn't hesitate to take a zero, but the sun is shining for the first time in days and a number of my friends are heading out today. With so few miles left to cover, it's getting to the point that it is impossible to catch up to someone ahead. A number of people I don't really care for are in town and taking zeros, and I don't relish the idea of summiting Katahdin with them. I don't think one day of rest will help much, so I'm going to give it a shot. I am HUNGRY to finish! Wish me luck! </p><p>I assume this will be the last chance I have to communicate with you before finishing. I'm still enjoying myself, but I'm ready to put the finishing touches on this thing and be home. All of us are! </p><p>Thank you all for your support through your actions, messages, encouragements, and love! There is no way I would be where I am without you all! </p></div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/08/this-may-be-my-last-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-853697727985283484Thu, 02 Aug 2012 13:27:00 +00002012-08-02T06:27:50.639-07:00Day 142. An unemotional goodbye to the Whites in weird weather<b>Day 142. An unemotional goodbye to the Whites in weird weather </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> August 1, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 142<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0528h @ Carter Notch Hut<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1871.0 mile @ 0710h at Carter Notch Hut <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Pleasant, 60s, clear, calm, gorgeous! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1884.0 mile @ 1818h at Rattle River Shelter <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 13.2 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 3<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b> 8 (not bad for being soaking wet!)<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b>5<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Pleasant, 70s, clear, calm, gorgeous! The problem was in between the gorgeous bookends there was four hours of constant and heavy rain. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 2:20<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>hammock @ Rattle River Shelter<br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> In the hammock @ 2055h to journal. Asleep by 2315h. <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $0 <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> My eyeglasses fog up in the rain. <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 8 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 15 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 43 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 1 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 5 <br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 4 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 4 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 2 (Just a couple of slips and falls. I'm amazed I didn't fall more often! I had many close calls for falls that could have ended badly!) <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Coming Up - Paul McCartney & Wings <br/> <li> 1812 Overture - Tchaikovsky <br/> <li> Summon the Heros (Olympics theme song) - John Williams <br/> <li> Toxic - Britney Spears <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Kathleen mailed my driver's license, insurance card, credit/debit card, and cash to my next resupply location. (I left my Ziploc wallet in the pants Kathleen brought me a couple if days ago.) Josie is practicing her cooking skills, getting ready for her competition thus weekend. (She made a bleu cheese hamburger that was so good it "put Archer in a comma." <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Haystack, Silver Surfer (SOBO), Stilts (SOBO). Fetch (Tipsy is off for a few days recovering from a bad sunshine-induced reaction to giardia medicine.) A bunch of southbound day hikers. A group of nice, but inexperienced high school campers at the shelter. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> None. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Frasier firs as far as the eye can see. Hardwoods on the north side of Moriah Mtn. Maples. Birch. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Red squirrels. A precocious and brazen mouse. A precocious and brazen chipmunk at the shelter. Frogs. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> Lots. Carter Dome was very nice. South Carter Mtn. Middle Carter Mtn. North Carter Mtn (but by then I was socked in.) <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Rattle River is nice and clean with a good swimming hole by the shelter. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> My knees are beaten up and sore. Both knees are swollen and tight, because of the hard miles on the rocks and perhaps I haven't been dining enough water. During the last few miles of today's hike, my right big toe felt like a hot spot was developing, but when I inspected my feet they looked fine. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> Trying hard to stay positive in wet clothes. I actually had a good day despite the rain and falling short on my mileage goal. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I ate cold oatmeal, packed up, and then did my chores for the hut: taking out the dead mice caught in last night's traps and sweeping the dining room floor. Silver Surfer and Stilts asked me some questions about the Whites and the hut system, and then I hit the Trail, ready for a long, tough day. At least the weather looks good! <br/> <li> This is an important day; if I can do a big-mile day, I gave a chance of making the rendezvous with Dad. <br/> <li> The climb up Carter's Dome wasn't bad and I made surprisingly good time. The top looked like a moonscape - if you ignored the trees to the side and the black flies, that is. And the view from there was a nice one. The day remains exquisite and the temperature is cool and great for hiking! I'm hoping the rest of the day follows suit. <br/> <li> In studying my topo map I saw that descent on the blue blazed trail to Zeta Pass was much less steep than the AT and I highly recommend it. <br/> <li> Zeta Pass was a lovely place with a bench to eat my second breakfast. However, there was a precocious mouse that would try everything to steal my food. <br/> <li> The Trail between Zeta Pass and Imp Campsite was a nice traverse with the exception of the steep, slow, and rocky descent from North Carter Mtn. <br/> <li> It rained for four hours, greatly slowing my progress. I didn't make the big-mile day I had hoped to. I need to start thinking about other options for Dad's visit. <br/> <li> I thought I'd go into Gorham, stay at the inexpensive Hikers Paradise hostel, dry out, do laundry, and get done much needed rest. But as I was heading down a side trail to town, I thought to check to make sure I had my money. I'm not sure what promoted me to look, but I'm glad I did, fir my cash, ID, issuance card, and credit card were all gone! In a panic I called Kathleen to check my pockets of the pants I wore while I was with them thus past weekend. Luckily they were all there in my little Ziploc bag! She tried to locate a Western Union in Gorham to wire some money but couldn't find one. So no hostel for me, but at least my money is located. Kathleen put it in the mail to be delivered at the same place that my next box is. It is going to be tricky picking it up without ID, however! <br/> <li> My new boots are soaking wet. Fortunately, when I arrived at the shelter there was a large group of high school campers who had built a fire that I used to dry my socks and attempt to dry out my boots and liners. I was go grateful that I didn't mind not having a spot in the shelter. <br/> <li> The last two miles of the Trail today were unbelievably fantastic! Soft, smooth, wide, with a slight downhill grade. And it paralled streams and the playful Rattle River! I thought I was dreaming! I was able to go full speed again! My legs didn't know what to make of it! <br/> <li> I was sad to have to pump water through my filter again four I was spoiled with the huts' ready water supply! <br/> <li> I couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to journal. I'm beat. Even a 14-mile day in the Whites is hard! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Keep handy a Ziploc baggie with a sliding zipper to store your camera/phone in case of rain. Even in my pants pocket the baggie had kept my phone dry in numerous storms. If nervous, double-bag it. <br/> <li> When at camp after a day in the rain, wear your wet clothes as long as possible so your body heat dries them. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> My thoughts on the White Mountains:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <lI> I was thrilled to see the Myakka Mules as I was slacking SOBO in the Whites, but I'm not sure I can catch then before Katahdin. They are four days ahead. <br/> <li> The Whites are definitely the most difficult part of the Trail so far, but once on the ridges they are not bad - and the views are so spectacular they really recharge your batteries! The hard part - and they are hard - were the number of long, slow, steep, rocky, and often scary climbs and descents to the ridge, especially at these notches: Kinsman, Carter, and Pinkham. Very difficult in the rain or when wet. Zowie! <br/> <li> Mt Washington is a tourist zoo with views that I thought weren't so great. Franconia Ridge, on the other hand, was spectacular! <br/> <li> Generally a number of thru-hikers can stay at the huts, but only a couple can get work-for-stay, which includes dinner and breakfast for less than an hour of work (sweeping, washing dishes, cleaning, defrosting refrigerators, lecturing/talking to the guests). Be as polite to the croo as possible and offer to do any type of work. If there is a campground nearby, you may be turned away once they have their requisite workers. Show up at 4:00 to get work. If you arrive after 6:00 they work will probably be gone. You can also work at the campsites in lieu of paying the $8 fee. <br/> <li> The food at the huts is usually delicious, but you'll need to add sugar to the oatmeal! You can always buy food during the day fir a few bucks. There is great potable water at each hut. If you need a break, do it at a hut! <br/> <li> Cell phone reception is spotty but calls and texts can be made. Excellent reception from Mizpah and Carter. Carter had good data, too. Mt Washington had power, but terrible reception. <br/> <li> The cons of staying at the hut are these: you don't get a lot of sleep because you don't get into bed until 9:30 or 10:00, and you have to wake up early (around 5:15) and quickly pack up. If you got work and want to eat breakfast, you won't Getty on the Trail until 8:15 or 8:30 because you have to eat after the guests. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> I am charging my phone with my iSound charger as journal in my hammock. The phone went from 60% to 100%. The iSound began and ended with three illuminated LEDs. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/08/day-142-unemotional-goodbye-to-whites.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-5501031620407915930Wed, 01 Aug 2012 10:48:00 +00002012-08-01T05:32:04.608-07:00Day 141. So long wonderful family, hello grueling Wildcat Mtn<b>Day 141. So long wonderful family, hello grueling Wildcat Mtn </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 31, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 141<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0450h @ Will's Inn to blog <br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1864.8 mile @ 1230h at Pinkham Notch<br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b>1<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b> 6 (sad to see family depart.h<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Warm, low 80s, windy, sunny. Fantastic, fantastic weather. A little warm, though. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1871.0 mile @ 1828h at Carter Notch Hut<br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 6.5 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 3<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>5<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Sunny, warm, 70s, breezy. A glorious weather day! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 1:20<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>dining room floor @ Carter Notch Hut <br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> 2215h <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $0 <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Steep and rocky with lots of climbing! There were some flat spots too. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> None <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 6 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 7 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 45 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 1 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 5<br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 3 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 4 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 0<br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Billionaire - Kayne West <br/> <li> The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow - from the musical, "Annie" <br/> <li> I Did it My Way - Frank Sinatra <br/> <li> Isn't She Lovely - Stevie Wonder <br/> <li> Hazy Shade of Winter - The Bangles <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> The family is making a 9-hour drive home. They arrived safely. <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Archer, Josie, and Kathleen. Instigator & Expeditor taking a zero at the Lodge. A few SOBOs and a bunch of southbound section and day hikers. At the hut: Stilts (SOBO), Silver Surfer (SOBO), Haystack (NOBO). <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Kathleen made me a lunch to go. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Birch. Fir. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Beautiful garter snake sunning on a rock. Red Squirrel. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> Several good ones, especially from Peak D. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Carter Notch Hut! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> My knees are sore and beginning to hurt on the descents. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> Sad to see the family drive away, but motivated to finish this trail! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> This morning I asked Archer if he was OK with my being gone for so long. He said that he was fine and that it, "gave the summer a special uniqueness." I just love that boy! He always says just the thing to cheer me up! <br/> <li> Archer helped me pack my backpack and move some files around on my Droid while Kathleen and Josie went to the Post Office to mail my next resupply box to Rangely, ME and a post card to Josie's sixth grade teacher. I can't believe the kids are in the 6th and 8th grades! <br/> <li> It was sad once again to say goodbye to my family, but I was so happy and pleased that they drove all this way to see me! This goodbye was the easiest because in just a few weeks I'll be home for good! <br/> <li> The lodge at Pinkham Notch had setting wifi, but I couldn't get it to upload my last the blog posts. So I had to post without the images. Archer's haircut will have to be unveiled later. <br/> <li> The climb up to Wildcat Peak D was as step and difficult as the one out of Crawford Notch! It was a significant hand-over-fist climb with a few dicey portions that would nit be good for folks who were afraid of heights! I wasn't really in the mood to climb such a steep rock face, but looking back at the view of the Presidentials I felt proud for making it over them without much issue, which motivated me to push on today. My attitude brightened and I settled in for the long climb. <br/> <li> Near the top of Wildcat Peak D was a gondola that brought tourists 2,062 feet from the parking lot to the 4,062-foot summit where they took photos and then rode back to their cars. Knowing that I have a couple hundred miles of hard climbs like this ahead of me, I didn't feel superior to them; rather I envied them! I'd love to be carried up just one of these mountains! <br/> <li> From Peak D I called Nathan, a former student of mine who, along with three other former students of mine (Paul, Jake, and Ryan), wanted to hike with me before his college cranked up. But I didn't get the message until I was out of the Whites and by then it was too late for them. I was pleased that they wanted to make the tine and effort to share this experience with me. <br/> <li> I also phoned two of my colleagues (Tom H. and Michael E.) who also expressed a desire to meet up with me in Maine. I hope that we are able to make a connection! <br/> <li> After reaching Wildcat Peak D the Trail eased up. There were still difficult sections, but nothing to difficult or crazy. Even the descent to the hut was a relatively easy one! <br/> <li> I was looking forward to staying the night at Carter Notch Hut, for it was nestled in a lovely valley near two pretty ponds. However, there were only two guests at the hut and the croo there wouldn't let me stay because they didn't want thru-hikers to outnumber the guests. I thought this was ridiculous because they already allowed three thru-hikers to stay. Why not bend the rules a tiny bit more and let me stay? I told them I didn't need food, just a place to lay my head. I even said I'd stay away until lights out and would be gone before the guests awoke, but they wouldn't have it. What's really ludicrous is that they allowed me stay at the hut as long as I wanted. I'm not sure what the rule is supposed accomplish. I could stay while everyone was awake, but once everyone was asleep and unconscious my presence could no longer be tolerated. I've really had wonderful experiences with all the huts, so it's too bad that this one had to be my last experience. <br/> <li> So I cooked and blogged at the hut until dark, and was about to set up my hammock in a nearby stealth site. (I was bound and determined not to set up camp far away because the hut was the only water for five miles in any direction.) But just as I was leaving, Pat, one of the hut's croo, said that I could stay if I sweep the floor in the morning. Sweet! Now I have a good feeling about the hut system again! <br/> <li> I need to make a quick getaway in the morning if I'm going to make my rendezvous with Dad, Gy, and Douglas in a week. I gotta have a big-mile day tomorrow and for that I'll need a lot of hiking time! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Be positive. Stay positive. <br/> <li> Resist the urge to lash out at the croo if they don't let you stay. Be polite and don't act like you deserve a spot, and chances are you'll receive satisfaction. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> I used the iSound charger to bring my phone's battery from 74% to 100% while I blogged. The illuminated blue LEDs went from four to three. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <br/> <br/> <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/08/day-141-so-long-wonderful-family-hello.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-3260204335142909667Tue, 31 Jul 2012 19:30:00 +00002012-07-31T12:30:41.128-07:00Day 140. A fun zero with the family<b>Day 140. A fun zero with the family </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 30, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 140<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0528h @ Will's Inn in , NH<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> N/A <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b> 12<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 3<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Sunny, warm, low 80s, mild breeze <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> N/A <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 0 miles (but we canoed 6 miles today!)<br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 1<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b> 12<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 6<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Sunny, warm, 70s, but it rained in the mid afternoon. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b>24 hours<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>bed @ Will's Inn<br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> 2345h <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $6.73 (Body Glide)<br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> yes. Kathleen brought food for 5 days. She also brought white gas for my stove, and my LAST PAIR OF BOOTS! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> N/A <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> None. <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 5 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 0 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 (Again, the pool.)<p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> none - too much visiting with the family! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Home is here with me! Kathleen just learned that Archer can't come to the taping of Josie's cooking competition, do he will stay with the Harris family this weekend. I am feeling very guilty that I'm not home! <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Kathleen, Archer, & Josie! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Being with my family! I am happy that they made the long drive just to be with me for a day! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> A Christmas tree fir whose top looked like the Grinch's hair. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Ducks and geese on the river. Chipmunks. Some nice birds. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> None. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Canoeing the Saco River with Saco Bound livery. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> Feeling great! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> Having a great day, but I'm not ready for the family to depart tomorrow. I'm so ready to be done and go home. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I spent a wonderful day with Kathleen and the kids canoeing and swimming in the the Saco River, swimming at the hotel pool, eating a huge and delicious meal at the xxx restaurant, laughing at a few episodes of Frasier, and watching some of the Olympic Games. <br/> <li> I'm sad to think that they well be going back home tomorrow, but I'm buoyed that I'll be home in a matter of just a few weeks. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> none <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> I charged the iSound USB charger for hours at the hotel. I also charged my phone. (My external battery was already fully charged.) <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> Having issues loading photos! Sorry! <br/> <br/> <br/> <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-140-fun-zero-with-family.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-1107586744013827517Tue, 31 Jul 2012 19:29:00 +00002012-08-01T05:34:07.115-07:00Day 139. An unfun day with a happy ending<b>Day 139. An unfun day with a happy ending </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 29, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b>139<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0450h @ Madison Spring Hut<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1857.0 mile @ 0635h at Madison Spring Hut <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>9<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 1<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Overcast, foggy, cool, 50s, damp, windy. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1864.8 mile @ 1330h at Pinkham Notch, NH 16 <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 8.0 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b> 10<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 3<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Rain & drizzle, overcast, 60s. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 1:09<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>bed @ Will's Inn in Glen, NH <br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> in bed at 2100h to visit and watch some of the Olympics. Asleep by 2320h. <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $0 <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Rocky, boulders, rooty. A slow traverse until the final couple miles. The first mile took me 80 minutes because of the rain and dense fog. The descent to the gap from the top of Madison was slow going over boulders. Flat and smooth at the very end. Lots of small and lovely creek crossings during the final five miles! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> My clothes stink! I need a bath and they need to be laundered. <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 7 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 0 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 32 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 1 (the auto road to Mt Washington) <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 1 (Mt Madison) <br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 2 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 3<br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 2 (Just your garden variety slip and fall on my butt. One on a wet root, the other on a wet rock. No injuries. <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 1 (the pool at the hotel) <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Toxic - Britney Spears, but with the Glee version playing in my head. <br/> <li> We the People - School House Rock (the Constitution song) <br/> <li> Good ol Boys (Dukes of Hazzard theme song) - Waylon Jennings <br/> <li> Davey Crockett - George Burns / Fess Parker / The Wellingtons <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Home came to me! I found Kathleen, Archer, and Josie hiking south on the Trail to intercept me! Although it wasn't much, I'm glad they were all able to hike some of the AT with me! Perhaps we'll have another chance on Tuesday? I've learned that Josie's cooking show is actually a competition, do she had to go home and practice her basic skills and know how to prepare a few meals on her own. The child contestants can't use a knife or an oven. <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Indiana, T, P-Squared, Johannes. A father, son, & daughter out for a hike. The dad and I chatted about his thru-hike planned for next year. Like me, he was confused about food drops. I was thrilled to Kathleen, Archer, and Josie waiting for me on the AT! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Being with my family! I couldn't tell who was happier - them or me! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Fir, birch, etc. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Frogs. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> Even in the clouds, the views from Mt Madison were amazing! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Mt Madison, but the hiking was difficult and slow. Pinkham Notch. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> My knees and ankles are very sore from all the beating they've taken from Trail's roots, rocks, and boulders. My feet, which started off the day soaking wet from already wet boots, just became more wet throughout the day. They are really pruned up, but no hot spots or blisters developed. Yay, Hydropel! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> Despite being super-excited to see my family, this day was a hard one for me mentally. The AT was difficult and slow, although nothing like the climb up from Crawford Notch or South Kinsman! I'm just tired of going so slowly over so few miles. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I'm so exited to see my family today! I'll have to be especially careful not to fall and hurt myself on the long, steep, and slippery downhill today. <br/> <li> This may be the last time I see T. She has to get off and go back to work. We said our goodbyes at the hut this morning. (She was staying for breakfast but I needed to hut the Trail early.) I'll miss her a lot, for she was so friendly, kind, and nice! <br/> <li> The first mile took me one hour and twenty minutes to traverse! The footing was bad and the fog was thick. Coming down Adams I could see the Visitor Center, and to have your goal in sight and make so little progress was maddening. <br/> <li> Most of the day was slow going. I don't do well descending steep and rocky mountains. Apparently Indiana does not have that problem, for he came bounding down the mountain as if it were a city street. <br/> <li> I was therefore surprised to see Indiana a couple of hours later heading south on the AT with a forlorn look. At first I thought the trail was impassable our that a bridge had been washed away, but it was worse than that. Indiana was backtracking because he just realized that he forgot to close the zipper to one of his pack's pockets and his camera and toothbrush fell out. I told him I had seen his toothbrush miles ago just after coming out of the alpine zone, but that I hadn't seen his camera. I felt terrible for him, for all of his pictures were on the camera and apparently he did not make a backup of them. I really hurt for the guy! He hiked back as short distance and sent word with hikers going north and south top be on the lookout. Fortunately, his name and number are written on the camera, so if someone finds it it is likely he'll get it back. The fear is that it might have fallen out on the long, boulder field trek up or down Mt Madison, in which case if it fell between two boulders it may be forever lost in the crags. <br/> <li> I'm very close to being done with the White Mountains and I am beginning to feel that the end is near. At least six people said, "Congratulations!" to me today when they learned I was a NOBO thru-hiker. I appreciated the sentiment, but I still have over 300 difficult miles to cover. It does feel close, however! <br/> <li> I stopped to grab a snack and a drink of water at the auto road leading up to the summit of Mt Washington. The road was crowded with cars from all over the country. A few slowed down so they could take a picture of me - the hiker in it's natural habitat. I felt like I was in a zoo. <br/> <li> I was so happy to see the bright, shining faces of Kathleen, Josie, and Archer hiking south on the AT as I was hiking north! I couldn't have been more delighted to see anyone! <br/> <li> The biggest surprise of the day was the unveiling of Archer's new haircut. When I saw him on the Trail he purposefully had his head covered with his hoodie. We arrived at the hotel and he uncovered his new do, which was as short as he's ever had it! This may not seem like a big deal, but for Archer to have cut off his coif was huge! I was so surprised and expressive that folks at the hotel thought I was being attacked by a bear. (They were going to the pool every day and the chlorine was making Archer's hair difficult to deal with, so he got it all cut off.) He looks so different and so old! I think it's wonderful! <br/> <li> We spent the afternoon swimming and playing in the "heated" pool at the Inn. Kathleen made a wonderful and healthy pasta and veggie dinner in the kitchenette. She and I spent the evening watching the kids swim (I was to cold to go back in cool water), and we all enjoyed watching some of the swimming and gymnastic competitions at the Olympics before going to sleep. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> There's just no way to predict how long it will take to hike a section of the AT in the Whites. Every thru-hiker I spoke to about this had the same sentiment. <br/> <li> The rejuvenating effects of seeing one's family, even for a brief period, can not be underestimated this close to the end of such a long journey! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> The PEG was still solid green. It's apparent to me that something is just not quite right with the code, for I am unable to consistently walk the unit back to fully charged. I don't think I'm going to carry it any further, for it seems that Tremont Electric has some more fine tuning to do with their firmware and I'm not sure if there are any more experiments I can do with the little time I have left on the Trail. However, I think the physics behind the PEG is solid and the engineering of the unit is well-thought out. I had a lot of fun helping test the prototype - it brought out the nerd in me - and I predict the nPower PEG will be standard backpacking equipment in the near future! <br/> <p> <br/> The iSound charger still had some power in it's batteries as indicated my it's one illuminated blue LED. I wasn't able to charge my phone for very long (about 15 minutes) before the line LED was extinguished. The unit continued to charger my phone, but I didn't want to completely drain it, so I unplugged my phone. The verdict on the iSound: despite being heavy (0.67 lbs), the device was able to charge my phone for a week of constant use. For testing purposes I was cavalier with my phone usage, making more phone calls and sending more texts than I needed to, but I was curious to see how the device would hold up to heavy use in the backcountry. Recall that I also let T charge her iPhone with my iSound at Madison Hut. I think the device worked pretty well. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> Having issues loading photos! Sorry! <br/> <br/> <br/> <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-139-unfun-day-with-happy-ending.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-4496067683983498718Tue, 31 Jul 2012 19:26:00 +00002012-07-31T12:26:34.270-07:00Day 138. An eventful day along the Presidential Range<b>Day 138. An eventful day along the Presidential Range </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 28, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 138<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0521h @ Mizpah Spring Hut <br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1845.2 mile @ 0836h at Mizpah Spring Hut <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b>3<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b>1<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Partly cloudy, cool, 50s & 60s, breezy, some sun. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1857.0 mile @ 1901h at Madison Spring Hut <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 12.0 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b>3<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 1<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Cold, 40s, rain, fog, windy, overcast, thunder. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b>2:38<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>Dining room floor @ Madison Hut <br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> In bed at 2155h to blog. Asleep by 2315h.<br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $6 (a slice of pie at Lakes Hut and a bowl of chili at Mt Washington) <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Lots of rock and boulder hoping today. With the exception of the very top of Mt Washington, the path wasn't steep, and Washington wasn't terribly so. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> By the end of the day everything I was wearing is soaked because of the rain. My pack cover did a nice job keeping the face of the pack dry, but water got into the bottom compartment and my fleece got wet despite being stored in a plastic bag. Fortunately, the critical items (sleeping bag, long underwear, extra socks, phone, and electronics) stayed nice and dry in the more expensive and robust dry bags. <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 8 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 0 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 32 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 4 (including Pierce, Franklin, and Washington)<br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 4, but we summitted or climbed very near the summits of 8 mountains! <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 2 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 0 (surprising, given the wet weather!)<br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> The Game of Love - Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders <br/> <li> True Colors - Cindy Lauper <br/> <li> Satisfaction - Rolling Stones <br/> <li> Billionaire - Bruno Mars <br/> <li> Hotel California - The Eagles <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Unknown. No cell strength. I assume they made it to Kathy and Gisele's last night. I can't wait to see them tomorrow! <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> P-Squared. Indiana. T (She slept at the adjacent campsite last night and was hoping to score some breakfast leftovers. We ended up seeing each other a lot today. ) Johannes. Wild Child & Dash. All but the latter two were at Madison Hut with me tonight. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> I got leftover breakfast at Mizpah for my work yesterday. And as I waited for breakfast I was able to journal while rocking in their wonderful rocking chair! I do miss a chair with a back and arm rests, but one that rocks, that's magic! However, the best magic of the day came as I was hiking up Mt Eisenhower. Two guests from the Mizpah Hut, Mike and Cindy, who heard mine and Indiana's thru-hiker presentation last night asked if I wanted some candy for my climb. I said sure, of course, and as they were rooting through their pack they found other things to give me: Combos, a Cliff Bar, M&Ms - I was practically out of food so this was a bonanza! We chatted for a while and then said goodbye, for they were going home that afternoon. (Mike & Cindy: that food was crucially important because I was caught in a cold rain storm later that day and needed the food for fuel and warmth! Thank you!) <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Blueberries. Lots of alpine flowers. Krumholtz. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Black flies (there was minimal wind to keep them at bay). A yellow slug (they are ubiquitous here) that was suspended far below a tree by a stand of silk. Do slugs do this? <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> A large number today! From every mountain peak and all along the ridgeline the views were spectacular. I was disappointed with the views from Mt. Washington perhaps because that place was a zoo and you had to wait your turn to see the vista. I much preferred the ridge views between Mizpah and Madison Huts. It's too bad that it rained <br/> during the last 4.5 miles of today's hike, for what I was able to see was awe inspiring. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Mt.Washington (but <br/> wouldn't recommend it - very touristy). Lakes of the Clouds Hut. Madison Spring Hut. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> I feel good now that I've dried out. My left elbow still hurts if I apply pressure to it. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> I feel like I'm on auto pilot and everything is running smoothly. I'm very relaxed and not anxious about anything. I'm in a good grove. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Each hut puts on a unique and corny skit for the guests at the conclusion of breakfast extolling three things: pack out your trash, food your blankets, and tip your croo. <br/> <li> I wish I had video recorded the croo members washing dishes after breakfast, for they were so fast! <br/> <li> I ate so much breakfast today I'm about to pop! I enjoyed talking with the croo as I ate, for they were friendly and fun. <br/> <li> I'm excited that the weather looks pretty good this morning. I'll be on Mt Washington in just a few hours and I'm hoping that the ridge walk is as captivating as the one I had on Franconia Ridge. <br/> <lI> It wasn't. Franconia Ridge is truly on the ridgeline, where the Presidential Ridge is more of a plateau. Still, the scenery and vistas were spectacular! And the hiking was easy - for the Whites! <br/> <li> The Lakes of the Clouds Hut was situated at the bottom if Mt Washington and surrounded by a couple of small lakes. Very picturesque! And the croo there made a great pie! <br/> <li> Several of the Lakes croo were busy that day carrying heavy pack boards filled with food and supplies from the summit of my Washington to the hut. Some of the packs weighed over 100 pounds! <br/> <li> Mt Washington was a zoo, filled with tourists who either drove or took the cog railroad to the summit. Then they would wait in line to climb the 12 foot "hike" to the summit to have their picture made in front if the sign at the summit. Then they'd eat a bowl of chili and take their vehicle or the rail back down. It saddened me and really challenged my experience! To be fair, there were hikers there who actually hiked a pretty fair distance to the peak, but most arrived via internal combustion or steam engine. <br/> <li> I saw T again at Lakes of the Clouds Hut and again at my Washington. I was surprised to learn that she was a long distance section hiker (not a thru-hiker) who was getting off August 2. <br/> <li> T and I checked the weather radar at the information both because the weather wad turning bad. It looked like thunderstorms were approaching but that we could make it to Madison Hut before they arrived. We decided to hike together because you never know what the weather could do in the Whites, especially near Mt Washington! <br/> <li> I am happy that T and I hiked the six miles to Madison Hut together, for the weather rapidly turned nasty. The temperature dropped significantly, drizzle turned into a constant and penetrating rain, the wind picked up, and a thick fog settled in. This was hypothermia weather and I was happy to have a buddy! We worked together to go from cairn to cairn, for the clouds and fog made it difficult to see the path! The going was rocky and very slow on the slick rocks. We were never so happy to see a hut! By the time we arrived, we were soaked to the bone and beginning to show signs of exposure. I was losing function of pinky fingers and immediately after stopping hiking I began to shiver. Another hour or two would have put us in serious jeopardy! <br/> <li> We arrived at Madison Hut in the middle of the guests' dinner, but were greeted by a warm and friendly croo member named Coralis, who made us feel welcome and told us we could stay and eat if we ran the evening program and talked to the guests about our thru-hikes. Sweet! This was T's first work-for-stay. The dinner was fantastic and the Q&A program went well. Coralis was the cook that night and boy can she cook! Her turkey was some of the best I ever had! She wants to open her own restaurant - I'd eat there! <br/> <li> Just before arriving at Madison Hut I passed the 85% mark. I'm now a solid B-student on the AT! Only 15% more, but it's a difficult 15%! <br/> <li> The sunset as seen from the hut was magnificent. It was difficult to imagine that just an hour prior I was freezing cold in heavy rain and fog! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> In the Whites, when weather threatens, it is always a safe and smart move to travel with a buddy! I felt reassured that T was with me during the storm, and I know she felt the same way. <br/> <li> When hanging your clothes on pegs to dry out, don't put your boots under the dripping clothes! Dummy! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes:<br> The PEG was still should green. I let T use my iSound charger to charge her iPhone from 50% to 100%. I also used the iSound charger to charge my phone from 43% to 100%. There was only one blue LED illuminated on the charger when completed, indicating the battery was below 25% capacity. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> Having issues loading photos! Sorry! <br/> <br/> <br/> <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-138-eventful-day-along-presidential.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-6048472109977773437Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:19:00 +00002012-07-31T08:19:11.372-07:00Day 137. A grueling and fantastic day of hiking - I mean mountain climbing - to Mizpah Hut<b>Day 137. A grueling and fantastic day of hiking - I mean mountain climbing - to Mizpah Hut </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 27, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 137<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0534h @ Ethan Pond Shelter <br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1835.9 mile @ 0740h at Ethan Pond Shelter <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b>2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 3<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Wet from last night's rain, drizzle, in the clouds, cool, low 50s, cloudy <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1845.2 mile @ 1511h at Mizpah Spring Hut <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 9.5 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b>2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>9<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 5<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Sunny one moment, cloudy the next. Generally nice though, certainly nicer than predicted! Low 70s. Mild breeze. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 1:26<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b> on the dining room floor @ Mizpah Hut <br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> In my bag at 2116h to journal. Asleep by 2050h. <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $0 (work-for-stay)<br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> A little rocky and rooty coming down to Crawford Notch. VERY rocky and rooty and VERY STEEP going up from Crawford Notch to Mt Jackson! It was more like mountain climbing than hiking! The last couple miles had some small, steep, and rocky portions, but was fairly easy walking with a number of puncheon areas. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I an running low on gas for my stove. Fortunately I was able to work four food at Mizpah and the fuel should last one mute meal in case I don't get work at Madison Spring Hut tonight. <br/> <li> I am also low on food, but because I've gotten two work-for-stays, paid for one soup meal at Zealand, and have the concessions at Mt Washington coming up today, I should have enough to get me to Pinkham Notch on Sunday even if I don't Getty food at Madison. I have half of a dinner (a bag of stuffing), one breakfast (pancakes, which take a lot of fuel), and a small number of snacks left. <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 5 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 5 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 34 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 1 (US 302) <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 2 (Webster & Jackson) <br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 2 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 1 (The AT in New Hampshire is not well-marked and I had to spend a few minutes figuring out which way to go at a junction.) <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 2 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 2 (One was a simple slip and fall on my butt. The other fall was significantly more serious, but no real and lasting injuries were sustained. Read below for more details.) <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Like a Prayer - Madonna (as much as I try, I just can't get that song out of my had and it's driving me crazy!) <br/> <li> Toxic - Britney Spears, but the version sung by the Glee cast <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> I learned this morning that Josie earned one of eight spots on the internet TV cooking show! Way to go, Pheeny! Filming begins in just a few days in New York City. She'll have to work 12-hour days for the days. I'm so happy for her! How many people can say their first paying job was an acting gig? The family is en route to Kathy and Gisele's Massachusetts home this afternoon. They will stay a day there and depart on Sunday to meet me at Pinkham Notch! <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> John, a congregational minister from Massachusetts out for a week; he and I ate breakfast together and chatted. (He and I would spend the better part of the day hiking up Webster and Jackson together.) He told me there is a young couple here at the Ethan Pond site from Mississippi, but they were still sleeping when I left and didn't meet them. P-Squared & Johannes trying to thumb a ride into town to resupply. Both of these guys were at Mizpah Hut tonight, along with Indiana, and Pepper Boy. I met a long distance section hiker named "180", who was out with his son and who follows my blog. Once again I'm flabbergasted that my blog put me in touch with someone I would have otherwise not known. I also met a couple from Maine who offered to drive me from Katahdin to Bangor so I can get home! (They approached me after Indiana and I gave our talk to the Mizpah Hut guests.) <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Work-for-stay at Mizpah. A couple from Maine who I met at Mizpah offered to put me up in their home after I summit Katahdin and then drive me to Bangor so I can get home! I'm telling you, the people you meet on the AT are amazing! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> A plant that resembles a tiny mountain laurel. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> An eagle soaring right by me off Webster Cliffs! Frogs. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> Nice views from Webster Cliffs and Mt Webster. Stellar views from Mt Jackson! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Mizpah Springs Hut. The views were also an attraction, but the hike to them was a killer! Don't do it in the rain! An easier path would be the Mt Clinton Trail. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> My knees are more sore than normal - all these steep climbs and descents on granite rocks are taking their toll! Also, after my fall my left elbow is tender to the touch and it can't support any weight when I prop up in bed or rest them on a table. Also, my left tricep is bruised and tender due to my fall. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> I was fortunate to be in a wonderful mental state today, because the Trail was so difficult. If I had been in a bad mood or was hiking with any latent anxiety today could have easily been a miserable experience! As I were, I enjoyed a fabulous day making one of the must difficult and dangerous climbs on the AT and I loved it! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I enjoyed a wonderful night's sleep with many hours of rest. The sound of the rain hitting the metal roof all night was soothing and brought back many childhood memories of sleeping on the porch of Aunt Birdie's country home. <br/> <li> The descent from the shelter to US 302 was rocky but not a bad hike. It would have been a fast trek for me, but I stopped when I could hear the road to check my phone for messages. I learned that Josie did, in fact, get the job for the cooking show in New York! I had to phone home for that, but the kids were still asleep because they were up so late celebrating. I'm so happy for Josie! And Dad had also called to say that he and two of my brothers, Gy and Douglas, would like to return for one more slacking adventure. We nailed down the dates and I'm looking forward to seeing them one more time! <br/> <li> I crossed the Saco River, which is just a little spit of a stream here. On Sunday I'll canoe it with Kathleen and the kids. Can't wait! <br/> <li> The climb out of Crawford to Mt Jackson was rocky and extraordinarily steep in places. This puts even the climb up South Kinsman to shame. Luckily I was in a better mental state today, so it was actually fun, but there were several dangerous sections that could have ended in disaster. The rocks were wet and slippery, and there were sections that required being comfortable with and skilled at mountain climbing. I talked with all of the thru-hikers at the hut about todays climb and they all agreed it was one of the hardest climbs of the AT. We were also in agreement that your average day hiker had no business doing that section, and we were concerned about how all the 70+ year-old thru-hikers behind us would fare on this climb! I'm not meaning to be an ageist, but I hope they consider blue blazing around this climb! <br/> <li> I actually slipped and fell on this section. I was crossing a rock slab that was long and wide and sloped at a steep downward angle. Oh, it was also wet. About six feet below the end of the slab was a narrow ledge. I had to climb up to the slab and just as I stepped on the slippery rock my foot shot out from under me and I crashed hard on my chest, with my left side taking most of the force. I immediately began sliding down the rock face on my belly feet first, and through sheer reflexive action reached out and luckily found two rocky knobs to grab on to that attested my fall. I'm fairly certain if I hadn't caught myself the fall would not have proven catastrophic. Luckily I didn't have to find out as I was able to pull myself up and gain purchase with my foot. I thought about releasing my backpack and letting it fall to the ledge below, but I didn't want to damage the contents, wasn't sure if it would have remained on the ledge, and I couldn't figure our how to get my arms out of the straps without falling. Ultimately I was able to scoot down the slab and find stable footing. And then climbed back up to try again - successfully this time! <br/> <li> Half way up Mt Webster I came upon John, the pastor I met at breakfast. He was sitting on a rock and not looking too well. He mentioned that he was out of water and thirsty. This was bad because the day was warm, there was still a lot of elevation to gain, and the next water source was hours away. I had already consumed a liter of water on my way up but had two liters remaining. Because I drink copious amounts of water my body stays pretty well hydrated, so I didn't hesitate to give John a liter of my water. He was so appreciative and downed half of it immediately. It was obvious he was becoming dehydrated. I suggested that we walk the remainder of the way to Mizpah Hut together, and if he needed more water he could have my reserves. The hike so far was a killer for me, but for John, who is an experienced hiker but didn't have hardened trail legs, the hike was more strenuous than he (or I) imagined that it would be. He was tired and hiking with a partner is often a helpful motivator. Additionally, having someone to chat with takes your mind off of your hardships. I know, for I've been there many times myself. So we hiked and climbed and chatted for the next few hours. He was a great fellow who was do easy to talk with, and he made the miles fly by for me. I gave him a new roll of Lifesavers candy to keep his mouth from becoming dry (his father used to do the same thing), and I shared my last liter of water with him atop Mt Jackson. From Jackson we could see Mizpah Hut about two miles away, so we knew water wasn't far. John thanked me again and hoped that my kindness would come back to me. While we were taking in the view from Jackson, a couple who had hiked up from Mizpah offered me a chunk of their chocolate bar - good karma pays off! <br/> <li> John said that I saved his life with my water and company, but I'm not sure that's true. I know he would have made it to Mizpah without me, but I do understand his sentiment. There have been so many times on my hike where I felt I just couldn't take another step, but invariably another hiker would come along and my spirits would be lifted, allowing me continue on. I was just paying it forward! <br/> <li> Mizpah is a fairly large hut and I arrived around 3:30, which is a bit early to ask for work-for-stay. Nevertheless, croo member Margaret told me I could wash dishes for my say, which I did for 90 minutes. This is longer than most jobs, but I kept washing and she never told me to stop. I was happy to put in the extra work for a guaranteed meal, because I was starving! <br/> <li> While we were waiting for the guests to finish eating (the croo and thru-hikers eat after the dishes are washed), Indiana and played a quick game of chess. I say quick, because he handily beat the pants off of me. <br/> <li> Dinner was delicious and I ended up scrapping the bowls clean. <br/> <li> Indiana's work was to have a Q&A session with the paying guests after dinner. He asked if I wanted to join him and we delivered what I thought was an informative and humorous presentation to a packed house. It was a fun job, and made me long for the day that I'll be able to talk with my students at George School and my kids' classmates at Buckingham Friends School. <br/> <li> After our presentation, a couple from Maine offered to put me up in their home after I summit Katahdin and then drive me to Bangor so I can get public transportation home! I was so pleased and surprised by their kind offer, and at this point I haven't a clue how I'm getting home. So it's nice to have made this contact! <br/> <li> The clouds cleared off for a while last night, so much so that I was able to see the moon. The last celestial body I saw were the stars in West Hartford. The clear sky brought with it a drop in temperature. I'm hoping tomorrow's hike over the Presidential Range will be clear and sunny, for the views are supposed to be spectacular. <br/> <li> There was spotty cell communication near US 302. There was good cell strength at Mizpah Hut, but no data. <br/> <li> Indiana and I thought we did a pretty good job with our thru-hiker presentation so we asked Margaret (one of the croo members) to write us a note to give to the croo at Madison saying that we gave a decent talk to a packed house and suggested that Madison allow us to stay if we give the same talk there. <br/> <li> I slept on the floor at the hut with Indiana and P-Squared, who also worked off their stay. No other thru-hikers were here, however, because there was an AMC campsite adjacent to the hut. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Be positive. Don't be anxious. Don't dwell on how hard a particular section of the Trail well be - just do it. Hike in the present. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> The PEG is still solid green. I charged my phone from 26% to 100% using my iSound charger. Afterward two of the charger's four LEDs were illuminated indicating that the charger has between 25% and 50% of its battery remaining. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZKr8pJL05S4/UBf2-4KsSmI/AAAAAAAAGNI/plZO5_1762A/s0/2012-07-27_07-44-28_551.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZKr8pJL05S4/UBf2-4KsSmI/AAAAAAAAGNI/plZO5_1762A/s400/2012-07-27_07-44-28_551.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CM-wtX0Excg/UBf3AbR7xHI/AAAAAAAAGNQ/EHs42enI6Jk/s0/2012-07-27_09-31-08_185.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CM-wtX0Excg/UBf3AbR7xHI/AAAAAAAAGNQ/EHs42enI6Jk/s400/2012-07-27_09-31-08_185.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-oKPNgzOD-6Q/UBf3CQt5S5I/AAAAAAAAGNY/uFYk3NBDyAc/s0/2012-07-27_09-39-09_779.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-oKPNgzOD-6Q/UBf3CQt5S5I/AAAAAAAAGNY/uFYk3NBDyAc/s400/2012-07-27_09-39-09_779.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VBEcvJdALDQ/UBf3D5zVEZI/AAAAAAAAGNg/_apoJemmHVY/s0/2012-07-27_09-41-36_959.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VBEcvJdALDQ/UBf3D5zVEZI/AAAAAAAAGNg/_apoJemmHVY/s400/2012-07-27_09-41-36_959.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TWN64I4gnOg/UBf3F-tYXyI/AAAAAAAAGNo/giC_X5TyVRs/s0/2012-07-27_09-44-03_923.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TWN64I4gnOg/UBf3F-tYXyI/AAAAAAAAGNo/giC_X5TyVRs/s400/2012-07-27_09-44-03_923.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-m4z-_Nxfhso/UBf3Gu6-ZtI/AAAAAAAAGNw/yeF3UBN9hq4/s0/2012-07-27_11-30-37_2.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-m4z-_Nxfhso/UBf3Gu6-ZtI/AAAAAAAAGNw/yeF3UBN9hq4/s400/2012-07-27_11-30-37_2.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Bb17NclQsOE/UBf3H4Mq0hI/AAAAAAAAGN4/3M2T22BhaCk/s0/2012-07-27_12-00-51_378.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Bb17NclQsOE/UBf3H4Mq0hI/AAAAAAAAGN4/3M2T22BhaCk/s400/2012-07-27_12-00-51_378.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BKitXPUjrzM/UBf3JvwsPkI/AAAAAAAAGOA/7COPX1DSoUI/s0/2012-07-27_12-01-02_642.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BKitXPUjrzM/UBf3JvwsPkI/AAAAAAAAGOA/7COPX1DSoUI/s400/2012-07-27_12-01-02_642.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LjyOwh7oezY/UBf3LNDw0OI/AAAAAAAAGOI/0yc05PqHRHs/s0/2012-07-27_12-12-39_644.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-LjyOwh7oezY/UBf3LNDw0OI/AAAAAAAAGOI/0yc05PqHRHs/s400/2012-07-27_12-12-39_644.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OzP1IU-Pd4c/UBf3MhdHGVI/AAAAAAAAGOQ/3aB41xRpiWQ/s0/2012-07-27_12-35-01_307.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OzP1IU-Pd4c/UBf3MhdHGVI/AAAAAAAAGOQ/3aB41xRpiWQ/s400/2012-07-27_12-35-01_307.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1V6sv0nMm5g/UBf3NbQQlXI/AAAAAAAAGOY/MHxuqn_WSiQ/s0/2012-07-27_12-52-44_777.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1V6sv0nMm5g/UBf3NbQQlXI/AAAAAAAAGOY/MHxuqn_WSiQ/s400/2012-07-27_12-52-44_777.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kFZe_oV7Wf0/UBf3PHbcgCI/AAAAAAAAGOg/FtbCmd8c7yA/s0/2012-07-27_13-00-39_292.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kFZe_oV7Wf0/UBf3PHbcgCI/AAAAAAAAGOg/FtbCmd8c7yA/s400/2012-07-27_13-00-39_292.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nKdck4wvAyY/UBf3Qr7aHaI/AAAAAAAAGOo/nGW4oCSHSGQ/s0/2012-07-27_13-56-58_875.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nKdck4wvAyY/UBf3Qr7aHaI/AAAAAAAAGOo/nGW4oCSHSGQ/s400/2012-07-27_13-56-58_875.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8i8SEJWxtp4/UBf3RxRfyWI/AAAAAAAAGOw/-gNl7q1Jc1I/s0/2012-07-27_14-04-39_494.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8i8SEJWxtp4/UBf3RxRfyWI/AAAAAAAAGOw/-gNl7q1Jc1I/s400/2012-07-27_14-04-39_494.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MxZmigiMJwY/UBf3SwozgJI/AAAAAAAAGO4/WhWJaBA_eP8/s0/2012-07-27_14-07-19_147.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MxZmigiMJwY/UBf3SwozgJI/AAAAAAAAGO4/WhWJaBA_eP8/s400/2012-07-27_14-07-19_147.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-c0wTkskuRXs/UBf3UXCfbqI/AAAAAAAAGPA/m1gamOdiCaY/s0/2012-07-27_14-41-34_631.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-c0wTkskuRXs/UBf3UXCfbqI/AAAAAAAAGPA/m1gamOdiCaY/s400/2012-07-27_14-41-34_631.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8OufbEmiqH0/UBf3XBch8WI/AAAAAAAAGPQ/QhvRngZPNIA/s0/2012-07-27_14-10-27_281.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8OufbEmiqH0/UBf3XBch8WI/AAAAAAAAGPQ/QhvRngZPNIA/s400/2012-07-27_14-10-27_281.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-G-luM8xFl3A/UBf3V5XY-RI/AAAAAAAAGPI/aGkf2BSxk48/s0/2012-07-27_15-41-39_445.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-G-luM8xFl3A/UBf3V5XY-RI/AAAAAAAAGPI/aGkf2BSxk48/s400/2012-07-27_15-41-39_445.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jvElQtE0lgM/UBf3Z9x9P6I/AAAAAAAAGPg/VWd_sa7IslY/s0/2012-07-27_17-36-47_447.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jvElQtE0lgM/UBf3Z9x9P6I/AAAAAAAAGPg/VWd_sa7IslY/s400/2012-07-27_17-36-47_447.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UpRG_u3v3LU/UBf3YZqkNqI/AAAAAAAAGPY/nITvVeTIyAk/s0/2012-07-27_19-35-21_963.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UpRG_u3v3LU/UBf3YZqkNqI/AAAAAAAAGPY/nITvVeTIyAk/s400/2012-07-27_19-35-21_963.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gUdId-5SWQ8/UBf3bACnuTI/AAAAAAAAGPo/KVFzQseyDH0/s0/2012-07-27_19-35-27_928.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gUdId-5SWQ8/UBf3bACnuTI/AAAAAAAAGPo/KVFzQseyDH0/s400/2012-07-27_19-35-27_928.jpg' /></a></p><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-137-grueling-and-fantastic-day-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-8638794636277431883Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:13:00 +00002012-07-31T08:13:54.786-07:00Day 136. An easy 12-mile day to Zealand Hut and Ethan Pond in the drizzle<b>Day 136. An easy 12-mile day to Zealand Hut and Ethan Pond in the drizzle</b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 26, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 136<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0524 @ Galehead Hut <br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1824.1 mile @ 0635h at Galehead Hut <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>7<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b>3<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Cool, drizzle, overcast, breezy, 50s. Rain is predicted. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1835.9 mile @ 1556h at Ethan Pond Shelter <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 12.0 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 1<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>7<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 4<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Overcast, cloudy, gentle breeze, cool, low 60s. Rain is predicted for tonight. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 2:43 (almost all of that was at Zealand Hut for lunch)<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>floor @ Ethan Pond Shelter <br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> In bed @ 1901h to journal. Asleep by 2040! <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $6 (lunch of bread and soup. I did work-for-stay at the shelter. ) <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Going up and down South Twin Mtn was steep and rocky and slow, but after that the Trail was not so bad. A few steep and rocky spots. After Zealand Hut the Trail was wonderful, especially for the first 2.5 miles, which were picturesque, flat, and fast, with grand views. After the trail to Thoreau Falls the AT became more rocky and rooty with a slight uphill climb, but in general it was pretty easy hiking. There was some nice hiking along a stream! Here the Trail was a little boggy, but the puncheons helped. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Surprisingly my boots are staying dry in the drizzle and generally wet conditions. Thus is even true for the boot with the rip in the top. I'm going to miss this pair of boots when I get my new ones on Sunday. <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 7 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 6 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 37 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 2 <br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 2 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 1 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 1 (just your run-of-the-mill slip and fall. No injuries) <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Stronger - ??? (not the Kelly Clarkson song) <br/> <li> Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield <br/> <li> Daniel - Elton John <br/> <li> Express Yourself - Madonna <br/> <li> Louie, Louie - The Kingsmen <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Unknown - no cell strength. I imagine that they are busy packing for our rendezvous. <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Ham Bone. Dream Time. Nitrous Oxide. All Smiles, Hawk, Wiffleball, Blues, Peeper, & Gumpy. Indiana. A young SOBO couple but didn't catch their names. Caleb (the nice caretaker at Ethan Pond Shelter). Johannes (at the shelter). <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> The cook at the Zealand Hut gave me the cinnamon bread leftover from this morning to eat with my soup! Work-for-stay at Ethan Pond Shelter. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Blueberries! But seeing how the only berries on the bushes were just before being ripe, I assume All Smiles picked the bushes clean when he cane through am hour ago! Beautiful conifer forests. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> I looked hard for moose, for I saw a number of signs they were near, but did not see the creature. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> Mt Guyot! Zeacliff Ridge! Zealand Falls Hut. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Zealand Falls Hut. Zealand Falls. Ethan Pond. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> I'm feeling really well. Calves are a little sore, but nothing terrible. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> I'm positive and confident. Feeling great mentally! Happy. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I just learned that P-Squared has no sleeping bag and very little warm gear. He has a hammock but no real way to stay warm. He's not a young kid and should know better than to enter the Whites ill equipped. He was hypodermic a couple of nights ago that we had the big thunderstorm. I sure hope I don't read about him in the paper. Hawk told me that the high temperature - the high - on Mt Washington yesterday was 38F! The wind chill brought it down to 25F! You can't mess around in these unforgiving mountains! <br/> <li> The climb and descent to Zealand Hut was rocky not too bad and not too steep. <br/> <li> Zealand Hut was small but a cozy respite from the rain and drizzle. I paid $5 for the "bottomless" AYCE soup because I'm running out of food, especially lunches. The cook gave me the cinnamon bread leftover from this morning. Magic! <br/> <li> The hike from Zealand to Ethan Pond was very lovely and relatively easy. (The first 2.5 miles from the shelter were super easy with excellent views. This is an easy hike for beginners or families with children. <br/> <li> Caleb, the nice caretaker at Ethan Pond Shelter, allowed me to weed the invasive garlic mustard plant from the bed in front of the shelter in lieu of paying the $8 camp fee. What a bargain! <br/> <li> While the shelter itself has much to be desired, Ethan Pond is picturesque, beautiful, and placid. <br/> <li> I was happy to stop early despite it being an easy day. I could have hiked a couple more miles down to Crawford Notch and stealth camped somewhere near the Saco River, but rain is predicted for tonight and I don't relish carrying a wet tarp up Mt Mitchell tomorrow. I hope to stay at Mitzpah Hut tomorrow and Madison Hut on Saturday, so staying here sets me up nicely for the next three days whose mileages will be 9, 12, and 8, respectively. I should be in Pinkham Notch by noon on Sunday to greet the family! <br/> <li> There was no cell signal after leaving Galehead Hut this morning. <br/> <li> At the shelter there was a group of nice and polite youngsters from Farm and Wilderness Camp from Vermont. Over Finney Johannes and I answered the kids' questions about our thru-hikes. It was an enjoyable and fun interaction for me. <br/> <li> I lay in the shelter and journaled for an hour after my weeding chores were done. I then cooked and ate dinner and journaled until I fell asleep. <br/> <li> I have the shelter all to myself tonight. <br/> <li> Caleb played banjo after dinner. I love hearing spontaneous music at the shelters at sunset. It is one of the things I will miss most about the AT. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> The granite rocks of the Whites are not as slippery when wet as the porous rocks of Vermont are. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> The PEG is still solid green. I charged my phone from 47% to 100% using my iSound charger. Afterward two of the charger's four LEDs were illuminated indicating that the charger has between 25% and 50% of its battery remaining. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rDQ_8zFUFxs/UBf1xPgx9QI/AAAAAAAAGKQ/uOQZk5VvUoA/s0/2012-07-26_06-39-58_521.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rDQ_8zFUFxs/UBf1xPgx9QI/AAAAAAAAGKQ/uOQZk5VvUoA/s400/2012-07-26_06-39-58_521.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hW6uxj95JF8/UBf1x8HmvbI/AAAAAAAAGKY/Cl10wV3UJys/s0/2012-07-26_07-28-28_581.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hW6uxj95JF8/UBf1x8HmvbI/AAAAAAAAGKY/Cl10wV3UJys/s400/2012-07-26_07-28-28_581.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ubjHbeKaYzk/UBf1yzpfgeI/AAAAAAAAGKg/VPFYJzszfRY/s0/2012-07-26_07-34-51_265.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ubjHbeKaYzk/UBf1yzpfgeI/AAAAAAAAGKg/VPFYJzszfRY/s400/2012-07-26_07-34-51_265.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pZ1vN5jrqi4/UBf10Pj-d5I/AAAAAAAAGKk/SfIKVN0u_cY/s0/2012-07-26_08-18-56_332.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pZ1vN5jrqi4/UBf10Pj-d5I/AAAAAAAAGKk/SfIKVN0u_cY/s400/2012-07-26_08-18-56_332.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GraEazYogCE/UBf11ML1LpI/AAAAAAAAGKw/OPrwKIOKc-w/s0/2012-07-26_08-52-56_513.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GraEazYogCE/UBf11ML1LpI/AAAAAAAAGKw/OPrwKIOKc-w/s400/2012-07-26_08-52-56_513.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2KdxwDBN7O4/UBf12D4H-WI/AAAAAAAAGK4/9iTiAHYyPEc/s0/2012-07-26_08-53-30_207.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2KdxwDBN7O4/UBf12D4H-WI/AAAAAAAAGK4/9iTiAHYyPEc/s400/2012-07-26_08-53-30_207.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Si7XPXYazxA/UBf13GNoDfI/AAAAAAAAGLA/U9IG5MOWFmo/s0/2012-07-26_09-01-06_35.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Si7XPXYazxA/UBf13GNoDfI/AAAAAAAAGLA/U9IG5MOWFmo/s400/2012-07-26_09-01-06_35.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tm4_2B-RQis/UBf14nzG-jI/AAAAAAAAGLI/c6xA8h24Xh8/s0/2012-07-26_09-52-57_397.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tm4_2B-RQis/UBf14nzG-jI/AAAAAAAAGLI/c6xA8h24Xh8/s400/2012-07-26_09-52-57_397.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-TpD3RYbduaw/UBf15nYvCOI/AAAAAAAAGLQ/dvtHSB6C-m4/s0/2012-07-26_10-33-57_890.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-TpD3RYbduaw/UBf15nYvCOI/AAAAAAAAGLQ/dvtHSB6C-m4/s400/2012-07-26_10-33-57_890.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/--SfYJ4j_s0k/UBf16zTvZyI/AAAAAAAAGLY/zuIFe_Ul180/s0/2012-07-26_10-40-02_964.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/--SfYJ4j_s0k/UBf16zTvZyI/AAAAAAAAGLY/zuIFe_Ul180/s400/2012-07-26_10-40-02_964.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NNhHyubFTkA/UBf188H-pEI/AAAAAAAAGLg/W1Yx2tSdqS4/s0/2012-07-26_10-53-53_1.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NNhHyubFTkA/UBf188H-pEI/AAAAAAAAGLg/W1Yx2tSdqS4/s400/2012-07-26_10-53-53_1.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-chOTo0ftnWs/UBf1-l9l7kI/AAAAAAAAGLo/U_Rlf4YHyUo/s0/2012-07-26_10-59-48_330.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-chOTo0ftnWs/UBf1-l9l7kI/AAAAAAAAGLo/U_Rlf4YHyUo/s400/2012-07-26_10-59-48_330.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-d4_pxlKPdPM/UBf2AHwHSyI/AAAAAAAAGLw/hLjQpZvR6Lc/s0/2012-07-26_11-44-02_578.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-d4_pxlKPdPM/UBf2AHwHSyI/AAAAAAAAGLw/hLjQpZvR6Lc/s400/2012-07-26_11-44-02_578.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0T_mUOs9qUU/UBf2BdX2vpI/AAAAAAAAGL4/Efpgbltoxp8/s0/2012-07-26_11-49-02_94.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0T_mUOs9qUU/UBf2BdX2vpI/AAAAAAAAGL4/Efpgbltoxp8/s400/2012-07-26_11-49-02_94.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7xPAwionV3w/UBf2CGjy-wI/AAAAAAAAGMA/7W4KqeFtzyk/s0/2012-07-26_11-51-14_535.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7xPAwionV3w/UBf2CGjy-wI/AAAAAAAAGMA/7W4KqeFtzyk/s400/2012-07-26_11-51-14_535.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ik5tq5vo-NY/UBf2DXPv8rI/AAAAAAAAGMI/dSvzYjDZFlw/s0/2012-07-26_12-03-19_859.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ik5tq5vo-NY/UBf2DXPv8rI/AAAAAAAAGMI/dSvzYjDZFlw/s400/2012-07-26_12-03-19_859.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EDPl_Thy6k8/UBf2GOy4RNI/AAAAAAAAGMY/y_915hxTRJA/s0/2012-07-26_14-28-04_370.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EDPl_Thy6k8/UBf2GOy4RNI/AAAAAAAAGMY/y_915hxTRJA/s400/2012-07-26_14-28-04_370.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vkbndCf4J30/UBf2EhyzyFI/AAAAAAAAGMQ/iJ-Rnqp8IQo/s0/2012-07-26_14-33-30_117.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vkbndCf4J30/UBf2EhyzyFI/AAAAAAAAGMQ/iJ-Rnqp8IQo/s400/2012-07-26_14-33-30_117.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vP7BCeq9z_8/UBf2H9K8XwI/AAAAAAAAGMo/qpFuLeplk5g/s0/2012-07-26_14-53-08_860.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vP7BCeq9z_8/UBf2H9K8XwI/AAAAAAAAGMo/qpFuLeplk5g/s400/2012-07-26_14-53-08_860.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yQ7ohkz6rwY/UBf2HPHEuFI/AAAAAAAAGMg/74v6v6HdivI/s0/2012-07-26_15-56-26_281.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yQ7ohkz6rwY/UBf2HPHEuFI/AAAAAAAAGMg/74v6v6HdivI/s400/2012-07-26_15-56-26_281.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mHcDISNHqmY/UBf2KZD_-XI/AAAAAAAAGM4/WPlkTFtGYmM/s0/2012-07-26_15-58-01_701.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mHcDISNHqmY/UBf2KZD_-XI/AAAAAAAAGM4/WPlkTFtGYmM/s400/2012-07-26_15-58-01_701.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fObl2Cs1bA4/UBf2JCKcx2I/AAAAAAAAGMw/ac_SPnwxoYM/s0/2012-07-26_16-03-43_242.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fObl2Cs1bA4/UBf2JCKcx2I/AAAAAAAAGMw/ac_SPnwxoYM/s400/2012-07-26_16-03-43_242.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ux2uBbILw4s/UBf2L15O_4I/AAAAAAAAGNA/8hUY94ovWkI/s0/2012-07-26_18-28-50_435.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ux2uBbILw4s/UBf2L15O_4I/AAAAAAAAGNA/8hUY94ovWkI/s400/2012-07-26_18-28-50_435.jpg' /></a></p><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-136-easy-12-mile-day-to-zealand-hut.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-1992355252725431396Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:04:00 +00002012-07-31T07:04:53.241-07:00Day 135. A sunny but windy day along Franconia Ridge and up Garfield<b>Day 135. A sunny but windy day along Franconia Ridge and up Garfield</b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 25, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b>135<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0801h @ Liberty Spring Campsite<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1813.8 mile @ 0948h at Liberty Spring Campsite <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 1<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Partly cloudy, very windy with strong gusts, cold, upper 40s. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1824.1 mile @ 1814h at Galehead Hut <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 10.6 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>9<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Mostly sunny, cool, low 60s, breezy, great hiking weather. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 1:15<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b> floor of dining room @ Galehead Hut <br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> In bed at 2200h to journal. Asleep by 0015h. <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $0 <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Rocky and slow. A lot of boulder hopping and rock scrambling. Many portions were steep. Today was hard on the knees. For 0.2 miles after the Garfield Ridge Campsite the AT and a stream were one. This was a steep, rocky, and obviously wet part that had to be taken very carefully. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I'm running low of fuel for my stove. I forgot to fill it when I was in Lincoln and I hope I have enough to last me until I meet the family. <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 8 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 13 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 41 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 4 (Little Haystack, Lincoln, Lafayette, Garfield) <br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 4 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 2 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b>0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Billionaire - Kayne West <br/> <li> Emotional Rescue - Rolling Stones <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Unknown. <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> All Smiles, Blues, Wiffleball, Hawk, Gumpy & Peeper. (Thinking they were ahead of me, I was surprised to see them getting water at Liberty Spring. They took a zero in Lincoln last night.) Kite Runner (the only SOBO I saw today. Flint & Philly Steve. Hambone. Indiana. P Squared (haven't seen him in a while). The two guys from Israel who stayed at Liberty Spring last night. A ton of day hikers! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Being able to sleep on the floor of Galehead Hut despite not having work for stay. The croo did give us a huge amount of leftover cake! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Spruce and balsam fir. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> None <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> Oh, my! Vistas nearly the entire day! For two miles all along Franconia Ridge there was nothing but views! When I hit the ridge I was socked in a thick cloud bank, but soon the sun came through and the views were breathtaking and expansive. Also on Mt Garfield the view was spectacular, but there was no ridge walk. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Franconia Ridge! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> I'm feeling great! Tired each night but nothing hurts except for my callus along the outside of my right heel. I commented to Blues Clues that I've never been so stiff and yet so simultaneously flexible in my life. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> I'm feeling heat mentally, too! Today's hike was a difficult but beautiful one, filled with great views and wonderful people. It was nice to hike in and among friendly thru-hikers all day! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> The wind howled all night long, but I was cozy and warm in my hammock with my winter sleeping bag and I slept like a log. I guess I needed the rest for I slept until 8:00! <br/> <li> Although it was cold this morning, it definitely did not drop below freezing last night. <br/> <li> The winds along Franconia Ridge and especially on top of Mt Lafayette were amazing! A scientific research team was there and measured the sustained gusts to be between 60 and 75 knots! I had to walk while leaning sideways into the wind to keep from being blown over. I was nearly toppled over a number of times - it was AWESOME! A challenge, but great fun ad well! <br/> <li> I was lucky that I got off to a late start thus morning. If I had left on time, Franconia Ridge would have been socked in the entire time I was on it. Luckily, it was cloudy for only part of my day and beautiful for the rest. <br/> <li> There were so many day hikers out enjoying the views on Franconia Ridge. This surprised me seeing how it was a Wednesday. <br/> <li> The family has definitely got to make this difficult but rewarding hike with me one day! <br/> <li> The flat-looking portion of trail between Mt Garfield and Galehead Hut isn't flat, but rather had many small ups and downs. <br/> <li> I particularly enjoyed hiking and talking with Blues up and down Mt Garfield. Wiffleball, Blues, and I came down the path/stream together after Garfield Ridge Shelter and we were laughing at the absurdity of such a steep, wet hike. Wiffleball joked that he wished we could cover ourselves in bubble wrap and just bounce down the mountain. Earlier today I commented that I fantasized about designing a hiker airbag system like the ones used by NASA to get the Martian rovers to the planet's surface. <br/> <li> There were ten thru-hikers at the hut tonight and only three of them were granted work-for-stay, which included a free meal. The rest of us were allowed to stay the night on the dining room floor, but super was not included. So we cooked our meals outside on the rocks, while the paying guests ate the delicious-smelling food. Afterward, however, the croo had heaping amounts of leftover cake that we made quick work of! <br/> <li> Tomorrow's hike starts of with a tough climb, but it should be easy after that. The weather may make it more of a challenge, however. Yesterday the forecast was calling for good weather for the remainder of the well, but the word we are getting now is that rain, thunderstorms, and cold temperatures are predicted for the next two days. There is a lot of exposed ridgeline hiking over the next couple of days, which can't (shouldn't) be done in bad weather. Not in the Whites at any rate! So a lot of us with deadlines are growing anxious knowing we can't afford the luxury of waiting out the storm. So we are examining other options that involve bad weather routes. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I knew my miles were going to decrease in the Whites, but I didn't appreciate how much my hiking speed was going to be affected. A 3.0 mph day is a long gone memory. A 2.5 mph pace is a distant memory. Even a 2.0 mph pace is unheard of. I dream of a 1.5 mph pace but 1.3 mph has been my average hiking speed the last few days. Everyone seems shocked by how long it takes us to go even shirt distances. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> The PEG's LED was still green and had not gone to blinking. I charged the phone using the iSound charger to bring my phone from 10% to 100%. The iSound started with 3 of 4 blue LEDs illuminated and finished with 3 illuminated! The phone was asleep for part of the charge and I journaled during some of the charging time. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uGgRM2yb5XM/UBfli2zA6CI/AAAAAAAAGFI/93GiHm8M-Fo/s0/2012-07-25_10-03-13_351.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uGgRM2yb5XM/UBfli2zA6CI/AAAAAAAAGFI/93GiHm8M-Fo/s400/2012-07-25_10-03-13_351.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_Sc7AhesdvU/UBfljkhsGyI/AAAAAAAAGFQ/4fc4Q46N9mg/s0/2012-07-25_11-15-16_701.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_Sc7AhesdvU/UBfljkhsGyI/AAAAAAAAGFQ/4fc4Q46N9mg/s400/2012-07-25_11-15-16_701.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-D-oG4DzRyXM/UBflkTIls4I/AAAAAAAAGFY/z9i4EQ3RdK4/s0/2012-07-25_11-22-33_604.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-D-oG4DzRyXM/UBflkTIls4I/AAAAAAAAGFY/z9i4EQ3RdK4/s400/2012-07-25_11-22-33_604.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3r3aqyQsPLU/UBfllYOGmVI/AAAAAAAAGFg/QyU1pifEfLM/s0/2012-07-25_11-32-33_969.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3r3aqyQsPLU/UBfllYOGmVI/AAAAAAAAGFg/QyU1pifEfLM/s400/2012-07-25_11-32-33_969.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vDaTtxFKZsI/UBflmjH45iI/AAAAAAAAGFo/VWtiWAlM3aI/s0/2012-07-25_11-57-22_204.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vDaTtxFKZsI/UBflmjH45iI/AAAAAAAAGFo/VWtiWAlM3aI/s400/2012-07-25_11-57-22_204.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Cb0it9uZe5I/UBflnIMbndI/AAAAAAAAGFw/yVyOocNOMdc/s0/2012-07-25_12-01-54_732.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Cb0it9uZe5I/UBflnIMbndI/AAAAAAAAGFw/yVyOocNOMdc/s400/2012-07-25_12-01-54_732.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4DWX0eDDay8/UBflofy3WTI/AAAAAAAAGF4/RZdVBT2gyks/s0/2012-07-25_12-09-29_91.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4DWX0eDDay8/UBflofy3WTI/AAAAAAAAGF4/RZdVBT2gyks/s400/2012-07-25_12-09-29_91.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wireIjqIpRI/UBflplMdeTI/AAAAAAAAGGA/NaqNqzZnbzI/s0/2012-07-25_12-13-50_501.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wireIjqIpRI/UBflplMdeTI/AAAAAAAAGGA/NaqNqzZnbzI/s400/2012-07-25_12-13-50_501.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tEg9nKRw3B8/UBflqZO2kfI/AAAAAAAAGGI/H6q8EOSSLA0/s0/2012-07-25_12-14-14_502.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tEg9nKRw3B8/UBflqZO2kfI/AAAAAAAAGGI/H6q8EOSSLA0/s400/2012-07-25_12-14-14_502.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ItZpyYOeHgQ/UBflrIdIzTI/AAAAAAAAGGQ/HQ2b2EpIFAE/s0/2012-07-25_12-14-22_679.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ItZpyYOeHgQ/UBflrIdIzTI/AAAAAAAAGGQ/HQ2b2EpIFAE/s400/2012-07-25_12-14-22_679.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JMhAP5XT2hA/UBflsf9kWkI/AAAAAAAAGGY/8AXr-IjeDa4/s0/2012-07-25_12-42-33_558.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JMhAP5XT2hA/UBflsf9kWkI/AAAAAAAAGGY/8AXr-IjeDa4/s400/2012-07-25_12-42-33_558.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-plPAixVTx8s/UBfltvEBH6I/AAAAAAAAGGg/ahD3hGGgOJI/s0/2012-07-25_13-08-14_460.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-plPAixVTx8s/UBfltvEBH6I/AAAAAAAAGGg/ahD3hGGgOJI/s400/2012-07-25_13-08-14_460.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cDKpN3Z0em4/UBflu29HjQI/AAAAAAAAGGo/_JAPqAC6XzI/s0/2012-07-25_13-16-47_785.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cDKpN3Z0em4/UBflu29HjQI/AAAAAAAAGGo/_JAPqAC6XzI/s400/2012-07-25_13-16-47_785.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pgW2Up8CErA/UBflvqABTpI/AAAAAAAAGGw/879O9zEEey4/s0/2012-07-25_13-17-17_86.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pgW2Up8CErA/UBflvqABTpI/AAAAAAAAGGw/879O9zEEey4/s400/2012-07-25_13-17-17_86.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GWJVM0YTOqU/UBflwlwZKHI/AAAAAAAAGG4/wyyecX7FrzQ/s0/2012-07-25_13-18-54_283.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GWJVM0YTOqU/UBflwlwZKHI/AAAAAAAAGG4/wyyecX7FrzQ/s400/2012-07-25_13-18-54_283.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-a7ITk-lU3vU/UBflyhvP6II/AAAAAAAAGHA/Tcu8sB9Eoy4/s0/2012-07-25_13-36-51_510.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-a7ITk-lU3vU/UBflyhvP6II/AAAAAAAAGHA/Tcu8sB9Eoy4/s400/2012-07-25_13-36-51_510.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-U7NKW-vafc0/UBfl09TBZPI/AAAAAAAAGHQ/gM86NvlT4SA/s0/2012-07-25_15-49-30_239.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-U7NKW-vafc0/UBfl09TBZPI/AAAAAAAAGHQ/gM86NvlT4SA/s400/2012-07-25_15-49-30_239.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-w7VGL2LEJQM/UBflz5qgbqI/AAAAAAAAGHI/XajHBoJ8Z88/s0/2012-07-25_15-49-58_901.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-w7VGL2LEJQM/UBflz5qgbqI/AAAAAAAAGHI/XajHBoJ8Z88/s400/2012-07-25_15-49-58_901.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yNtLjMqBc38/UBfl4spP1bI/AAAAAAAAGHg/7w-8lVvR-fM/s0/2012-07-25_15-55-01_226.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yNtLjMqBc38/UBfl4spP1bI/AAAAAAAAGHg/7w-8lVvR-fM/s400/2012-07-25_15-55-01_226.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CnDgjsg-7_k/UBfl4D2mySI/AAAAAAAAGHY/Ki4aDGjow04/s0/2012-07-25_16-28-04_688.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CnDgjsg-7_k/UBfl4D2mySI/AAAAAAAAGHY/Ki4aDGjow04/s400/2012-07-25_16-28-04_688.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GsOpfN05LDk/UBfl7f1hjrI/AAAAAAAAGHw/Ge3_-y13TmQ/s0/2012-07-25_16-36-08_799.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GsOpfN05LDk/UBfl7f1hjrI/AAAAAAAAGHw/Ge3_-y13TmQ/s400/2012-07-25_16-36-08_799.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gwdIdUoRmyc/UBfl6B2BHvI/AAAAAAAAGHo/sFuGel_wBRo/s0/2012-07-25_18-18-33_18.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gwdIdUoRmyc/UBfl6B2BHvI/AAAAAAAAGHo/sFuGel_wBRo/s400/2012-07-25_18-18-33_18.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Jtkisw9_jeo/UBfl-Vi7O4I/AAAAAAAAGIA/unIXVedZhBM/s0/2012-07-25_19-20-13_974.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Jtkisw9_jeo/UBfl-Vi7O4I/AAAAAAAAGIA/unIXVedZhBM/s400/2012-07-25_19-20-13_974.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xQdvbH7I4-Y/UBfl9Jg4haI/AAAAAAAAGH4/wHZCZZmLL8g/s0/2012-07-25_19-20-24_863.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xQdvbH7I4-Y/UBfl9Jg4haI/AAAAAAAAGH4/wHZCZZmLL8g/s400/2012-07-25_19-20-24_863.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-b2g9O2qGxuk/UBfmAhM3g6I/AAAAAAAAGIQ/mPhDUyccwY0/s0/2012-07-25_20-25-27_467.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-b2g9O2qGxuk/UBfmAhM3g6I/AAAAAAAAGIQ/mPhDUyccwY0/s400/2012-07-25_20-25-27_467.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ACpdrVpOdv0/UBfl_m_O8qI/AAAAAAAAGII/jkol6_3pXyY/s0/2012-07-25_21-05-00_408.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ACpdrVpOdv0/UBfl_m_O8qI/AAAAAAAAGII/jkol6_3pXyY/s400/2012-07-25_21-05-00_408.jpg' /></a></p><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-135-sunny-but-windy-day-along.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-3358095473785847889Tue, 31 Jul 2012 13:50:00 +00002012-07-31T06:50:39.936-07:00Day 134. A short day up Mt Liberty<b>Day 134. A short day up Mt Liberty </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 24, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 134<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0612h @ Lonesome Lake Hut<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1808.1 mile @ 0918h at Lonesome Lake Hut<br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b>3<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 1 (leftovers at the hut!)<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Foggy, misty, cool, windy, low 60s, overcast, thunderstorms are predicted. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1813.8 mile @ 1413h at Liberty Spring Campsite <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 6.5 miles (It is tempting to call thus a Nero, but nit in the Whites! <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Variable sun and rain, cloudy, windy, 70s but drooping rapidly. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 1:22<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>hammock @ Liberty Spring Campsite <br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> In hammock at 1859h to journal. Asleep by 2035h. That's right - before 9 pm! <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $8 (campsite fee)<br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Rocky, rooty, and smooth. See Notes section below. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I had to sleep with my water filter so it wouldn't freeze and be rendered worthless. I've had this cartridge four well over 1,000 miles - much longer than the typical filter lifespan. <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 6 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 19 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 44 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 2 (See Notes section below.)<br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 0 (but went under an interstate and highway) <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 1 <br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 1 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 7<br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> None <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> I called Kathleen to make plans four seeing them this Sunday. The gang was out grocery shopping when I called. I can't wait to see them! <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Peeper. Indiana. Baked Beans (at least i think I'm recalling his name correctly.) Quicksilver. Em (caretaker at Liberty Springs Camp). Noodle Heads (a husband and wife NOBO team.) A couple of ill-prepared guys from Israel out for three days. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Breakfast leftovers at Lonesome Lake Hut! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Nothing unusual. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Fresh moose droppings, but sadly no moose. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> None. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Lonesome Lake. Cascade Brook. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> I feel really great! My leg injury from yesterday is not noticeable. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> I had a better attitude today and therefore the climb was more enjoyable. I'll get a lot of sleep tonight and that should help my mental state tomorrow. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> A massive storm raged all night long. Heavy rain, high winds, lightning - the works. The rain was horizontal. I was happy to be in the cozy hut and felt bad for those hikers out in the elements! <br/> <li> In the morning I stuck around to eat breakfast leftovers and get a weather report, which is provided by the croo each morning at 7:00. <br/> <li> The weather does not look good for this afternoon with an increasing chance of thunderstorms. I don't want to be on Franconia Ridge with lightning, so today must be a short one, ending at Liberty Springs Campsite. I was hoping to make it to Garfield Ridge Shelter today and then to Zealand Falls Hut on Wednesday, but those plans don't look promising. You can't play around with the weather in the Whites! <br/> <li> The first part of today's hike was along the lovely Lonesome Lake and creek, but even though the decent was not steep, great focus was required with each step so I wouldn't slip on the wet rocks and very slippery roots. <br/> <li> Once the AT intersected with Cascade Brook it became smooth, flat and fast. Until, that is, I had to ford it. With all the rain we had last night, the brook was really flowing. This required some minutes of scouting to find a way to the opposite bank without getting wet. I could have put on my river shoes our simply plowed right through the water, but I like to keep my feet dry if possible, and the water was knee to waist deep making a wading crossing troublesome. So I packed all my electronic gear, first aid supplies in the waterproof stuff sack that I had stored my summer bag (I sent that home with Dad), and I sealed the big food bag in case I went into the drink. I had to make a couple of big jumps between rocks, but I made it across without incident. <br/> <li> A second crossing was also needed at the Whitehouse Brook, but that one didn't take much planning or effort and was relatively easy to cross. <br/> <li> The climb up Liberty Mountain started off gradual and easy, but soon became quite steep and solid boulders. It was not nearly as difficult as yesterday's climb up South Kinsman Mtn (the climb against which now all others are measured), but this one did grab my attention! <br/> <li> After reaching the Liberty Spring Campsite near the top of the mountain, I chatted with the caretaker, Em, for a while about my options. I could, of course stay there but it was early in the day. However, the weather was variable, going from sunny to overcast and rainy in a matter of moments. The next hut was only three hours away, but it is over a mile off the AT and down a very steep side trail. The next campsite was over four hours away. Both of these options were not great because it would mean having to hinge four two miles on an exposed ridge, and with the weather as it was, I decided to make it a short day and stay put. I'm glad I did, because over the next five hours it rained off and on and the winds were howling. Tomorrow's forecast calls for high winds and clear skies, so I think I'll stay put and enjoy the stunning views from Franconia Ridge in the morning. <br/> <li> The two men from Israel arrived in three Whites without a tent! They thought this campsite had a shelter. This is crazy and highly dangerous! Even if there were a shelter it could be full. Em told them they should either push in to the next Hut and hope or walk back down the steep mountain and specs the night in town. They didn't like either option and just decided to stay and sleep under the stars in their sleeping bags. This was even crazier! Their bags were not rated for cold weather and without shelter the child wind and possible rain could spell hypothermia or even death for these two. But they were stubborn and were staying put no matter what. So Em removed a couple if tattoos from her tent and strung up a makeshift tent for the hikers. Now if it rains she will get wet. <br/> <li> I set my hammock up over tent site #10, ate dinner, cleaned up, pumped water for tomorrow, and got in the hammock early to journal. I was having trouble keeping my eyes open even as early as 7:45! <br/> <li> Em told me the forecast is calling for overnight temperatures below freezing, so I placed my water filter in a Ziploc bag and slept with it in my hammock to prevent it from freezing. (If the water inside the filter freezes, it expands and ruptures the hollow fibrous tubes within, rendering it useless. I'm just glad I have all my cold weather gear back! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Even if you don't stay at the huts, if you swing by in the morning after breakfast, you can eat leftovers! I think I'll do that tomorrow. <br/> <li> Attack the AT with a sword, rather than defends yourself from it with a shield! Thanks, Kyle (Phlegm)! <br/> <li> The weather in the Whites can change in a heartbeat! <br/> <li> Em set me straight about stealth camping in the Whites. It is allowed, but you can't camp above treeline our within a quarter mile of a hut or designated campsite. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> The PEG LED was still solid green at the campsite. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6vfg9IT8s1o/UBfiT1du1bI/AAAAAAAAF_w/FyIGGAW47qk/s0/2012-07-24_07-21-19_110.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6vfg9IT8s1o/UBfiT1du1bI/AAAAAAAAF_w/FyIGGAW47qk/s400/2012-07-24_07-21-19_110.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9HR-ZhMQy28/UBfiVE6myYI/AAAAAAAAF_4/eeCzGJ0B8ls/s0/2012-07-24_07-26-08_932.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9HR-ZhMQy28/UBfiVE6myYI/AAAAAAAAF_4/eeCzGJ0B8ls/s400/2012-07-24_07-26-08_932.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HF-TOYRH-rw/UBfiWEopOPI/AAAAAAAAGAA/pmt6c_Djvfc/s0/2012-07-24_09-09-38_495.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HF-TOYRH-rw/UBfiWEopOPI/AAAAAAAAGAA/pmt6c_Djvfc/s400/2012-07-24_09-09-38_495.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kSQPgvSjsxY/UBfiXcDE7RI/AAAAAAAAGAI/iApD6wyHW9k/s0/2012-07-24_09-21-49_639.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kSQPgvSjsxY/UBfiXcDE7RI/AAAAAAAAGAI/iApD6wyHW9k/s400/2012-07-24_09-21-49_639.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QTIJO-ZCUq0/UBfiY8aJpUI/AAAAAAAAGAQ/4chJZzxkJsA/s0/2012-07-24_09-22-20_362.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QTIJO-ZCUq0/UBfiY8aJpUI/AAAAAAAAGAQ/4chJZzxkJsA/s400/2012-07-24_09-22-20_362.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Fidep10Tc2g/UBfiae-rTFI/AAAAAAAAGAY/baijYIsSX_8/s0/2012-07-24_09-37-59_619.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Fidep10Tc2g/UBfiae-rTFI/AAAAAAAAGAY/baijYIsSX_8/s400/2012-07-24_09-37-59_619.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oWDSh3d8ueU/UBficVXcYGI/AAAAAAAAGAg/BB2VDMghVqs/s0/2012-07-24_10-08-19_739.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oWDSh3d8ueU/UBficVXcYGI/AAAAAAAAGAg/BB2VDMghVqs/s400/2012-07-24_10-08-19_739.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-34GWSqV74Os/UBfid96I8eI/AAAAAAAAGAo/BKyEhcSPBrM/s0/2012-07-24_10-32-01_614.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-34GWSqV74Os/UBfid96I8eI/AAAAAAAAGAo/BKyEhcSPBrM/s400/2012-07-24_10-32-01_614.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JcQkbxA9qHE/UBfifCF2qHI/AAAAAAAAGAw/Cv_BhYr8DNA/s0/2012-07-24_10-28-04_843.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JcQkbxA9qHE/UBfifCF2qHI/AAAAAAAAGAw/Cv_BhYr8DNA/s400/2012-07-24_10-28-04_843.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-K5kJyipJPQM/UBfigtAaZgI/AAAAAAAAGA4/aAonaw1Ih_M/s0/2012-07-24_11-33-39_529.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-K5kJyipJPQM/UBfigtAaZgI/AAAAAAAAGA4/aAonaw1Ih_M/s400/2012-07-24_11-33-39_529.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YH286aLn-nI/UBfiiDsERmI/AAAAAAAAGBA/L_f5ul3qjTE/s0/2012-07-24_11-33-45_229.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YH286aLn-nI/UBfiiDsERmI/AAAAAAAAGBA/L_f5ul3qjTE/s400/2012-07-24_11-33-45_229.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jBCEx66ejEc/UBfikE0GmHI/AAAAAAAAGBI/PS83uYV1VNM/s0/2012-07-24_12-24-03_98.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jBCEx66ejEc/UBfikE0GmHI/AAAAAAAAGBI/PS83uYV1VNM/s400/2012-07-24_12-24-03_98.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ybEU5FoSCoU/UBfilRnG6hI/AAAAAAAAGBQ/z2Hyx6m2ZJ8/s0/2012-07-24_12-24-26_143.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ybEU5FoSCoU/UBfilRnG6hI/AAAAAAAAGBQ/z2Hyx6m2ZJ8/s400/2012-07-24_12-24-26_143.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-78BEEuozyNU/UBfinBP6FrI/AAAAAAAAGBY/-5zcpp71qtI/s0/2012-07-24_12-40-01_32.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-78BEEuozyNU/UBfinBP6FrI/AAAAAAAAGBY/-5zcpp71qtI/s400/2012-07-24_12-40-01_32.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9tETTjHKODs/UBfip2WoSQI/AAAAAAAAGBg/8TRPynVxdYc/s0/2012-07-24_12-57-25_740.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9tETTjHKODs/UBfip2WoSQI/AAAAAAAAGBg/8TRPynVxdYc/s400/2012-07-24_12-57-25_740.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-aESgEnbknvE/UBfiqqbksRI/AAAAAAAAGBo/Pxo41oa3wos/s0/2012-07-24_15-12-20_866.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-aESgEnbknvE/UBfiqqbksRI/AAAAAAAAGBo/Pxo41oa3wos/s400/2012-07-24_15-12-20_866.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hPnoF-VmL64/UBfirafX_KI/AAAAAAAAGBw/HZ7FX3xWKRM/s0/2012-07-24_16-31-29_983.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hPnoF-VmL64/UBfirafX_KI/AAAAAAAAGBw/HZ7FX3xWKRM/s400/2012-07-24_16-31-29_983.jpg' /></a></p><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-134-short-day-up-mt-liberty.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-5936793476218645444Tue, 31 Jul 2012 13:43:00 +00002012-07-31T06:43:47.809-07:00Day 133. Into the White Mountains<b>Day 133. Into the White Mountains </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 23, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 133<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0540h @ the EconoLodge in Lincoln, NH <br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1794.8 mile @ 0650h at Kinsman Notch<br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>6<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 1<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Overcast with rain on the way, although the radar shows me that the bulk of the bad weather may pass to my south. Cool, upper 60s, breezy. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1808.3 mile @ 1845h at Lonesome Lake Hut<br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 13.7 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b>4<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>5 (at the end of the hike), 8 (after spending the evening with friends and the Hut croo)<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b>2<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Cloudy, warm, lower 80s to upper 70s, calm. Looks like rain tonight; I'm happy to be at the Hut! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 3:02<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>Floor of the dining room @ Lonesome Lake Hut<br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> 2024h <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $0 <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Rocky, rooty, and steep. Then it got rockier, rootier, and steeper! A few smooth patches and some puncheons throughout the hike. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> My pack is HEAVY! It's now loaded with heavy child weather gear and food that I doubt I'll need in the Whites if I can go hut to hut. <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 10 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 0 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 48 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b>1 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 3 <br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 4 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 8<br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 2 (One was just a simple slip and fall on my butt with no injuries. The second was more serious. My boot lost it's grip on a large,slanted rock and as my feet slid down I toppled over on my left side. As my upper body went down my legs flew up, with the rock acting as a fulcrum. That would have been fine, but my left shin struck another rock overhanging the slanted boulder, and struck it hard. I'm not sure how my bone didn't break, but it sure smarted. There was a small abrasion but I was more concerned with the immediate swelling in the area. It was tender but was able to support my weight. For a moment I thought my hike was over. <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond <br/> <li> You're So Vain - Carly Simon <br/> <li> Take it Easy - The Eagles <br/> <li> Sister Golden Hair Surprise - America <br/> <li> River Deep, Mountain High - Celine Dion, but sung by the Glee cast <br/> <li> You Keep Me Hanging On - Diana Ross <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Unknown. <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Tent Commander (SOBO) - he's tired of climbing mountains and thinks the remainder of the Trail will be flat, and I didn't want to burst his bubble. Dream Catcher & Spartan (a SOBO couple). Philly <br/> Steve & Flint. Aspen. Blues. Indiana. Bullet. Pony Love. (48 4,000) Lumberjoel & Peanut (SOBOs). At the Hut: Peeper, Indiana, and four super-nice and friendly croo members. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Work-for-stay at the a Lonesome Lake Hut. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Conifers. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Noting special <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> Mt Wolf. South Kinsman! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Lonesome Lake Hut! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> My left shin is very swollen and tender to the touch. (See above for details.) The last mile proved to be a painful one; with each step my left shin experienced a sharp pain. When I arrived at the Hut, my shin was throbbing. Even as I write this at 10 pm, the area is still throbbing. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> I'm not having a great day mentally. The climbs and descents are very tough and the views, while spectacular, aren't making the work worth it for me. The mental focus necessary over the technical terrain was also exhausting! I'd better change my attitude or it is going to be a long couple of weeks! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I was sad to see Dad and Gy drive away. Although they will both try to hike Katahdin with me, it is likely that the logistics will make a rendezvous difficult. Their support has meant a great deal to me! <br/> <li> I hope to make it to Lonesome Lake Hut tonight, and find out what this hut system is all about! <br/> <li> There is NO WAY I carried thus much weight in Georgia! After three days of slacking my pack feels so heavy, especially with the additional weight of my cold weather gear! Twenty minutes into my hike and my legs are already burning! Welcome to the Whites! <br/> <li> Oh! No wonder I'm in such pain. Looking more carefully at the map I see thus is one of the steepest sections in the Whites. Still, I'm sucking wind! <br/> <li> After 3 hours the pack feels like normal again. My pace is SLOW, however! <br/> <li> Just before the Eliza Brook Shelter I crossed the 1,800-mile mark. <br/> <li> The AT followed the beautiful Eliza Brook up Kinsman Mtn. There were some nice swimming holes, but I didn't take advantage of any of them. <br/> <li> I had a big fall today that could have ended my hike. My Otter Box case protected my phone. Read above to learn about my fall. Kathleen told me before seeing off on my thru-hike that the only way she'd let me come home was if my leg was broken. With my fall I almost got a ticket home and I'm not sure why my leg didn't break. According to my friend, Reed, who is a retired high school biology teacher, my bones are as strong as they've ever been because I'm eating right and the stress from all my hiking had made them more dense. <br/> <li> I can't believe how difficult it was for me to climb South Kinsman! I've seen skyscrapers that were less steep! It took 90 minutes to go one mile! If I had sneezed, I would have been rocketed backwards and would have simply tumbled for two miles before coming to rest in Harrington Pond. Holy cow, what a welcome to the Whites! It certainly put Lehigh Gap and Dragon's Tooth into perspective! This was only the second time during my thru-hike that I wondered if I can do this. Physically do it. The map didn't show the steepness I'm experiencing. It was more like rock climbing than hiking. A lot of hand-over-hand climbing that lasted a mile and took forever. Perhaps it was particularly difficult for me because it came at the end of the day and I want accustomed to my pack weight. {A few days later I was chatting with some thru-hikers who made the climb first thing in the morning, and they had similar experiences. It is certainly the new standard!} I hear it gets worse. Oh, goodie! <br/> <li> You know who is not going to like that hike one bit? Two Steps. If she is still on the Trail, that climb might be the one that sends her home because it was mountain climbing hand-over-hand, which she abhors. <br/> <li> There are a few alpine lakes along the Trail and it was odd to hear sounds of people swimming while on top of a mountain. <br/> <li> Each and every step of the final 4.5 miles of the day's hike was mentally exhausting, for each step was a potential hike-ender. One slip, one misstep could end in disaster. My focus was such that upon arriving at the Lonesome Lake Hut I was mentally spent. <br/> <li> Lonesome Lake Hut was awesome! The college-aged hut croo (their spelling) was friendly and very welcoming and did much to turn around my poor mood. I asked Jeff, the Assistant Hut Master, if I could do work-for-stay. He told me my first job was to eat - and eat as much as I could shove in - because any leftovers that can't be composted has to be carried down the mountain to be disposed of. No problem! <br/> <li> Helicopters bring in to each hut huge tanks of propane and food in the spring, but the croo members make periodic trips down the mountain for miscellaneous supplies. Another AMC team will bring any requested supplies to the trailhead each Wednesday and Saturday. Their packs are heavy on the return trip, weighing in anywhere from 25 to 80 pounds! <br/> <li> I was really happy to see Peeper at the Hut when I arrived! It was nice to see a friendly face, and because she worked as a Hut croo member last year she was a gear resource for this area. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> To be a successful thru-hiker one must be stubborn, flexible, tenacious, and lucky. I've taken a number of spills that could have easily ended with a concussion, broken bone, or torn ligament. Luck has a lot to do with my still being on the Trail! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> A 20 minute discharge into my phone took the PEG from blinking green to solid. After 4.5 hours of slow hiking up and down Kinsman, the LED had not gone back to blinking. I will see if I can walk the PEG back to full tomorrow. In the meantime, I shut down my phone and charged it using the new iSound battery charger (Max) that Dad purchased for me on my brother Kyle's recommendation. (Kyle recently purchased one for his long bicycling tour in Japan and loves it.) My phone was at 50% when I began charging it. After reaching 100%, the iSound charger had gone from 4 illuminated lights to 3. I was hoping to very six full charges from the iSound, but that does not seen likely. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OkUKEMqaVyc/UBfgqrYNipI/AAAAAAAAF9I/T6n557xCSog/s0/2012-07-23_06-31-46_820.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OkUKEMqaVyc/UBfgqrYNipI/AAAAAAAAF9I/T6n557xCSog/s400/2012-07-23_06-31-46_820.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-P6t3K6IEE_k/UBfgsQX_JbI/AAAAAAAAF9Q/vkfS0vcQJ0w/s0/2012-07-23_08-11-27_504.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-P6t3K6IEE_k/UBfgsQX_JbI/AAAAAAAAF9Q/vkfS0vcQJ0w/s400/2012-07-23_08-11-27_504.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wT3SpwmyFo8/UBfgtYXXimI/AAAAAAAAF9Y/ERX18aYY4lY/s0/2012-07-23_12-28-44_919.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wT3SpwmyFo8/UBfgtYXXimI/AAAAAAAAF9Y/ERX18aYY4lY/s400/2012-07-23_12-28-44_919.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_S8yeOwOYAo/UBfgu7mf3MI/AAAAAAAAF9g/TNfMdE8H4kM/s0/2012-07-23_13-37-53_203.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_S8yeOwOYAo/UBfgu7mf3MI/AAAAAAAAF9g/TNfMdE8H4kM/s400/2012-07-23_13-37-53_203.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8rcU-XO_grw/UBfgwMTtvOI/AAAAAAAAF9o/mZ03acf1inU/s0/2012-07-23_13-50-52_354.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8rcU-XO_grw/UBfgwMTtvOI/AAAAAAAAF9o/mZ03acf1inU/s400/2012-07-23_13-50-52_354.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KaLL3nK9E24/UBfgxhFcXXI/AAAAAAAAF9w/fRZ1UBOJlyU/s0/2012-07-23_14-33-08_486.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KaLL3nK9E24/UBfgxhFcXXI/AAAAAAAAF9w/fRZ1UBOJlyU/s400/2012-07-23_14-33-08_486.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-So7tSWzHznM/UBfgy1xcLrI/AAAAAAAAF94/zrc64xMK1fw/s0/2012-07-23_14-52-37_331.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-So7tSWzHznM/UBfgy1xcLrI/AAAAAAAAF94/zrc64xMK1fw/s400/2012-07-23_14-52-37_331.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lbWqGjD5RoE/UBfg0JOMHEI/AAAAAAAAF-A/e1TDTLSEW2k/s0/2012-07-23_15-09-47_1.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lbWqGjD5RoE/UBfg0JOMHEI/AAAAAAAAF-A/e1TDTLSEW2k/s400/2012-07-23_15-09-47_1.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-17h83qcfYSw/UBfg1dn9sHI/AAAAAAAAF-I/ZoWTCEFW6VE/s0/2012-07-23_15-33-23_18.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-17h83qcfYSw/UBfg1dn9sHI/AAAAAAAAF-I/ZoWTCEFW6VE/s400/2012-07-23_15-33-23_18.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NCB_ETzoYYY/UBfg2xwCENI/AAAAAAAAF-Q/RXbUyPQ6Rps/s0/2012-07-23_16-23-10_460.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NCB_ETzoYYY/UBfg2xwCENI/AAAAAAAAF-Q/RXbUyPQ6Rps/s400/2012-07-23_16-23-10_460.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5O5OPreRdlc/UBfg4FvnGGI/AAAAAAAAF-Y/g_gRc_3_--Y/s0/2012-07-23_16-37-29_944.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5O5OPreRdlc/UBfg4FvnGGI/AAAAAAAAF-Y/g_gRc_3_--Y/s400/2012-07-23_16-37-29_944.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yw2NYcjM6wk/UBfg5rlGN3I/AAAAAAAAF-g/uuPV8Jq_mck/s0/2012-07-23_16-48-22_930.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yw2NYcjM6wk/UBfg5rlGN3I/AAAAAAAAF-g/uuPV8Jq_mck/s400/2012-07-23_16-48-22_930.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ev3m8ucVB38/UBfg69LGf7I/AAAAAAAAF-o/QWVq_TddNq0/s0/2012-07-23_17-00-35_170.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ev3m8ucVB38/UBfg69LGf7I/AAAAAAAAF-o/QWVq_TddNq0/s400/2012-07-23_17-00-35_170.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-12DEW7xleYY/UBfg8M3tE9I/AAAAAAAAF-w/QPPiN5-WvyI/s0/2012-07-23_17-29-10_386.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-12DEW7xleYY/UBfg8M3tE9I/AAAAAAAAF-w/QPPiN5-WvyI/s400/2012-07-23_17-29-10_386.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vk856y2c4Z0/UBfg9Tb1gRI/AAAAAAAAF-4/tqyzc4CxulI/s0/2012-07-23_18-49-49_551.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vk856y2c4Z0/UBfg9Tb1gRI/AAAAAAAAF-4/tqyzc4CxulI/s400/2012-07-23_18-49-49_551.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5A8DjHWPqPQ/UBfg-56YcaI/AAAAAAAAF_A/nHX66Oeq3tE/s0/2012-07-23_18-51-57_19.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5A8DjHWPqPQ/UBfg-56YcaI/AAAAAAAAF_A/nHX66Oeq3tE/s400/2012-07-23_18-51-57_19.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aU4ma8plMAg/UBfhBXiioqI/AAAAAAAAF_Q/Xs8VoNRsZKI/s0/2012-07-23_19-01-43_95.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aU4ma8plMAg/UBfhBXiioqI/AAAAAAAAF_Q/Xs8VoNRsZKI/s400/2012-07-23_19-01-43_95.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RwX711lRiao/UBfhALf6fKI/AAAAAAAAF_I/RyQ-XQyampA/s0/2012-07-23_19-22-06_197.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RwX711lRiao/UBfhALf6fKI/AAAAAAAAF_I/RyQ-XQyampA/s400/2012-07-23_19-22-06_197.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EBrk8gn0Ikg/UBfhDIe3JvI/AAAAAAAAF_g/YTNvtoK3Gbc/s0/2012-07-23_19-22-39_428.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EBrk8gn0Ikg/UBfhDIe3JvI/AAAAAAAAF_g/YTNvtoK3Gbc/s400/2012-07-23_19-22-39_428.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BP6HEzpaz2I/UBfhCZRsDRI/AAAAAAAAF_Y/5YWM29ykWh0/s0/2012-07-23_20-23-43_832.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BP6HEzpaz2I/UBfhCZRsDRI/AAAAAAAAF_Y/5YWM29ykWh0/s400/2012-07-23_20-23-43_832.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sNQpu4eQNSg/UBfhEaSy6iI/AAAAAAAAF_o/QhslmnhFvyQ/s0/2012-07-23_21-08-42_861.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sNQpu4eQNSg/UBfhEaSy6iI/AAAAAAAAF_o/QhslmnhFvyQ/s400/2012-07-23_21-08-42_861.jpg' /></a></p><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-133-into-white-mountains.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-4143469166078098288Tue, 31 Jul 2012 13:23:00 +00002012-07-31T06:23:21.645-07:00Day 132. Slacking with Gy over Smarts Mtn and Mt Cube<b>Day 132. Slacking with Gy over Smarts Mtn and Mt Cube </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 22, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 132<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0625h @ EconoLodge in Lincoln - NH<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1761.6 mile @ 0926h at Dorchester Road<br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b>1<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Partly cloudy, cool, upper 60s, pleasant. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1775.6 mile @ 1717h at NH Hwy 25A <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 14.0 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 4<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b>6<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Clear, sunny, warm, mid 80s, calm. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 1:10<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b> Bed @ the EconoLodge in Lincoln, NH <br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> 2330h <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $0 <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> Yes. Kathleen sent my winter gear for the Whites and Maine. (This includes my fleece, hat, winter sleeping bag, rain pants, glove liners, and mittens. She also sent me four days of food, which I am not sure I will need because I am hoping to do work-for-stay and work-for-food for leftovers at the huts and campsites. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Rocky and smooth. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> My right boot has developed a hole in the usual place - on top of the boot where it creases with each step. Kathleen will bring me my 4th and final pair when I see her and the kids at the end of the month. <br/> <li> I washed my clothes today and forgot to remove the little toy compass from one of my small pockets. Needless to say it did nit survive the washer/dryer experience. Kathleen will bring a compass from home next week. I think I will really miss having a compass in the Whites, for the Trail is not well-blazed there. <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 8 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 0 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 18 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 2 (Smarts and Cube)<br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 2 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b>0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 1 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Need Somebody to Love Me - Queen <br/> <li> Always Something there to Remind Me - Naked Eyes <br/> <li> Seven Nation Army - White Stripes <br/> <li> Let Me See You Dance - Larger than Life <br/> <li> I Hate Myself fire Loving You - Joan Jett <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Kids to pool. Josie's phone interview went great, she said. <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Dad & Gy. Q & Slow Ride (SOBO). A married couple Standing Bear (TH) with wife Molasses (SH from Harpers Ferry). Little Foot, Chitty Chitty, & Bang Bang (SOBOs). Trooper (SOBO) with her dog. Shambo (SOBO). <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Being with Dad and Gy! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Blueberries <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> A momma turkey with 5 chicks. Red squirrel. Moose droppings and calls. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> Several including fire tower <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Fire tower. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> Tired. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> Tired. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> It took us a while to scout out a lunch rendezvous, but all the dirt road accesses were gated so we are on or own for lunch. Our day will consist of slacking for 14 miles over Smarts Mtn and Mt Cube, two very difficulty climbs. There are some intermediate climbs as well, so I'm anticipating some burning muscles today. Fortunately we tacked on those last five miles yesterday, so today we only have to walk fourteen. Only fourteen. <br/> <li> Fire tower offered spectacular views <br/> <li> easy descent <br/> <li> second lunch at brook. Making great time. <br/> <li> false summits <br/> <li> fantastic views <br/> <li> rocky up, smooth, fast down <br/> <li> This is my last day of slacking with Dad and Gy. I'm going to really miss them! <br/> <li> Awesome vistas! <br/> <li> Steep, rocky climbs, but plenty of soft ground, too. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> none <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> Everything was charged at the hotel. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tEEn1auR7Y0/UBfcAdJX0oI/AAAAAAAAF5k/_DOUtGUVEj8/s0/2012-07-22_09-33-07_382.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tEEn1auR7Y0/UBfcAdJX0oI/AAAAAAAAF5k/_DOUtGUVEj8/s400/2012-07-22_09-33-07_382.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WSSilNu8bAI/UBfcBjwJa9I/AAAAAAAAF5s/J8KPEkI0wYM/s0/2012-07-22_09-59-49_315.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WSSilNu8bAI/UBfcBjwJa9I/AAAAAAAAF5s/J8KPEkI0wYM/s400/2012-07-22_09-59-49_315.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_hKCMPp0gPs/UBfcDDDG9PI/AAAAAAAAF50/I5N5_dX_eZM/s0/2012-07-22_10-01-57_848.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_hKCMPp0gPs/UBfcDDDG9PI/AAAAAAAAF50/I5N5_dX_eZM/s400/2012-07-22_10-01-57_848.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MM-GzpPF5Zc/UBfcETA5E5I/AAAAAAAAF58/wAQ24nG4JSY/s0/2012-07-22_10-32-20_149.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MM-GzpPF5Zc/UBfcETA5E5I/AAAAAAAAF58/wAQ24nG4JSY/s400/2012-07-22_10-32-20_149.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oYRWkB7Wirk/UBfcFjlH89I/AAAAAAAAF6E/2nHM9qY5JaM/s0/2012-07-22_10-32-42_696.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-oYRWkB7Wirk/UBfcFjlH89I/AAAAAAAAF6E/2nHM9qY5JaM/s400/2012-07-22_10-32-42_696.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VihBWJ7juOI/UBfcGnZzodI/AAAAAAAAF6M/Ff2Xhuc9NDg/s0/2012-07-22_10-37-37_483.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VihBWJ7juOI/UBfcGnZzodI/AAAAAAAAF6M/Ff2Xhuc9NDg/s400/2012-07-22_10-37-37_483.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hn4hgst7Jrk/UBfcIE7YkBI/AAAAAAAAF6U/773z89e_Eik/s0/2012-07-22_11-43-44_948.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hn4hgst7Jrk/UBfcIE7YkBI/AAAAAAAAF6U/773z89e_Eik/s400/2012-07-22_11-43-44_948.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-M9w-ffYLJCc/UBfcJlkCKFI/AAAAAAAAF6c/NPNs84V1dBw/s0/2012-07-22_13-24-18_751.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-M9w-ffYLJCc/UBfcJlkCKFI/AAAAAAAAF6c/NPNs84V1dBw/s400/2012-07-22_13-24-18_751.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GguyCOUBTog/UBfcLj-2HAI/AAAAAAAAF6k/dWeBfhDH5mU/s0/2012-07-22_13-24-28_893.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GguyCOUBTog/UBfcLj-2HAI/AAAAAAAAF6k/dWeBfhDH5mU/s400/2012-07-22_13-24-28_893.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_bOt3apWxv4/UBfcM3xSVVI/AAAAAAAAF6s/FERLSPgfoEU/s0/2012-07-22_14-53-43_757.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_bOt3apWxv4/UBfcM3xSVVI/AAAAAAAAF6s/FERLSPgfoEU/s400/2012-07-22_14-53-43_757.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9cr8_KB5GSU/UBfcN9ObQRI/AAAAAAAAF60/ioq_3AYqHvs/s0/2012-07-22_14-55-20_919.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9cr8_KB5GSU/UBfcN9ObQRI/AAAAAAAAF60/ioq_3AYqHvs/s400/2012-07-22_14-55-20_919.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-D6pUZzMo0zE/UBfcPaKSfOI/AAAAAAAAF68/1SvT-3PfMt4/s0/2012-07-22_15-05-54_547.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-D6pUZzMo0zE/UBfcPaKSfOI/AAAAAAAAF68/1SvT-3PfMt4/s400/2012-07-22_15-05-54_547.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hOmWrvWT2T0/UBfcQOT49YI/AAAAAAAAF7E/LoOzc50HVdw/s0/2012-07-22_15-38-45_824.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hOmWrvWT2T0/UBfcQOT49YI/AAAAAAAAF7E/LoOzc50HVdw/s400/2012-07-22_15-38-45_824.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HeDRusYRaqc/UBfcRFTb_DI/AAAAAAAAF7M/UzuFO43hZ10/s0/2012-07-22_15-39-20_914.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HeDRusYRaqc/UBfcRFTb_DI/AAAAAAAAF7M/UzuFO43hZ10/s400/2012-07-22_15-39-20_914.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-U5WRwqbPGYU/UBfcR3WR51I/AAAAAAAAF7U/IktV9ySHd3I/s0/2012-07-22_20-29-47_100.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-U5WRwqbPGYU/UBfcR3WR51I/AAAAAAAAF7U/IktV9ySHd3I/s400/2012-07-22_20-29-47_100.jpg' /></a></p><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-132-slacking-with-gy-over-smarts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-8245507121509000900Tue, 31 Jul 2012 13:15:00 +00002012-07-31T06:15:54.855-07:00Day 131. Slacking SOBO over Moosilauke with Dad & Gy<b>Day 131. Slacking SOBO over Moosilauke with Dad & Gy </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 21, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 131<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0640h @ the Franklin Inn in St. Kingsbury, VT<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1794.8 mile @ 0900h at NH 112, Kinsman Notch <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>10<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 1<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Gorgeous! Cool, low 60s, calm, sunny! But soon became partly cloudy. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1775.6 mile @ 2032h at NH 25A <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 19.2 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b>2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Pleasant, upper 70s, calm, partly cloudy. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 2:15<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>bed @ the EconoLodge in Lincoln, NH <br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> 2310h <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $0 <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Rocky and rooty, with occasional patches of smooth. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> none <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 9 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 0 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 15 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 1 /<br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 5 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0.1 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 3 (including Mt Moosilauke!) <br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 3 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 28 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b>0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 1 (it was a nasty one, too!) <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 1 (hoteI) <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Toxic - Britney Spears / Glee version <br/> <li> Do You Want to Touch Me - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts <br/> <li> A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Josie had a phone interview for a cooking show. She sent in video explaining why she would like to be on the show and made it to the next round! If she gets chosen, she and Kathleen will go to New York in August for filming. I've got my fingers crossed! <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Dad & Gy. Nitrous Oxide. Waker. Nutter Butter & Frenchy. Short Stop (NOBO slacking SOBO, too). Myakka Mules! ! ! Old Goose. Dream Time. Lorax. Roadside. Shambo (SOBO). Johannes. Gumpy. Byline. Hawk. Blues. Peeper. Trooper and her dog (SOBO). Thunderstorm. T. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Being with Dad and Gy. And being slacked. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> The usual. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Bald eagle flying over a beautiful lake seen from the interstate as we drove from the hotel to Mt Moosilauke. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> Several <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> I'm tired, but feeling well. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> Positive and confident, but ready to be done. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> (Sorry for the disjointed notes, but I don't have the time to write more completely!) <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I woke up at 5:15, my usual time, but was still so tired that I went back to sleep until 6:40. I felt rest was more important than getting an early start. Today is a big day; Gy and I will hike 9 miles over the 4,800-foot behemoth Mt Moosilauke. This is the highest mountain I've climbed since North Carolina, I think. It's going to be hard and fun. <br/> <li> Because the only hotel room we could find was an hour north of Hanover, we decided it would be easier and quicker if we drove to Lincoln, NH and hiked south over Moosilauke, and then pick up the middle section tomorrow. I'm going to do as many miles ad possible today to make Sunday as easy as possible, but today is going to be a tough one. I'm exited to find out how we make out today, for it should set the stage for the Whites. Of course I'm slacking today and won't have that luxury on Monday when Dad and Gy leave. I'm just happy that I'll be slacked over thus big peak! <br/> <li> Steep trail but we took it nice and slow. Gy did great. I was happy to climb this big mountain southbound without a heavy pack. Coming down it as a NOBO with a heavy pack would have been murder! <br/> <li> We walked along the Beaver Brook as we ascended Moosilauke. Waterfalls and cascades the whole way to the shelter. Beautiful. <br/> <li> Beautiful view from Beaver Brook Shelter. <br/> <li> Stupidly did not pack rain gear. I unpacked it, in fact! <br/> <li> First taste of White Mountains. No one is sure why the namesake. Perhaps for the clouds surrounding the peaks, or perhaps because of the mica in the granite.bb <br/> <li> I went above the treeline for the first time on the hike. <br/> <li> awesome views! No one can drive to these peaks! Keep of the grass and they did! <br/> <li> lunch <br/> <li> The 50. Saw more Dartmouth hikers doing the 50-mile challenge. They looked very tired today! <br/> <li> I was tired and wanted to quit at Hwy 25C after 15 miles of hiking, but having a 14-mile day tomorrow sounds great do Gy and I did another 5 miles and ended at Hwy 25B. <br/> <li> The Greek restaurant in town was closed but the owner opened up for Dad and Gy who brought back delicious food. I ate a salad. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Hiking the AT is a team effort! I could not have done it without all the support I've received! <br/> <li> The AT like a school. One section gets you ready for another. <br/> <li> It's also like parenting. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> Phone and PEG were charged with the wall outlet at the hotel in the evening. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OlTMv5Zma44/UBfZ9uW8drI/AAAAAAAAF2k/zVx56Kt0hno/s0/2012-07-21_07-57-07_37.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OlTMv5Zma44/UBfZ9uW8drI/AAAAAAAAF2k/zVx56Kt0hno/s400/2012-07-21_07-57-07_37.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ulK6t2i7zFI/UBfZ_AmBkeI/AAAAAAAAF2s/BsKgG_1j-SM/s0/2012-07-21_07-52-21_131.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ulK6t2i7zFI/UBfZ_AmBkeI/AAAAAAAAF2s/BsKgG_1j-SM/s400/2012-07-21_07-52-21_131.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MwhPRJ_pztQ/UBfaAsgfy6I/AAAAAAAAF20/32nI9FZN8KE/s0/2012-07-21_07-56-28_723.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MwhPRJ_pztQ/UBfaAsgfy6I/AAAAAAAAF20/32nI9FZN8KE/s400/2012-07-21_07-56-28_723.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rDaTGDRvQnc/UBfaBe9UPcI/AAAAAAAAF28/Rw5uWB70Rdc/s0/2012-07-21_08-54-12_470.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rDaTGDRvQnc/UBfaBe9UPcI/AAAAAAAAF28/Rw5uWB70Rdc/s400/2012-07-21_08-54-12_470.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7ueIHSeGMrs/UBfaEKuEVBI/AAAAAAAAF3E/KP-OXFFGP-U/s0/2012-07-21_09-05-11_180.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7ueIHSeGMrs/UBfaEKuEVBI/AAAAAAAAF3E/KP-OXFFGP-U/s400/2012-07-21_09-05-11_180.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jh8oQE2NJlY/UBfaFclU8HI/AAAAAAAAF3M/C8wxs3CqibE/s0/2012-07-21_09-05-35_992.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jh8oQE2NJlY/UBfaFclU8HI/AAAAAAAAF3M/C8wxs3CqibE/s400/2012-07-21_09-05-35_992.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XkwDy7QgP7M/UBfaHD47IpI/AAAAAAAAF3U/VD6ya1zT87o/s0/2012-07-21_09-10-08_966.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XkwDy7QgP7M/UBfaHD47IpI/AAAAAAAAF3U/VD6ya1zT87o/s400/2012-07-21_09-10-08_966.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-S9vXXH5fJiU/UBfaIwss-GI/AAAAAAAAF3c/Ib8E16geKRI/s0/2012-07-21_09-17-37_753.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-S9vXXH5fJiU/UBfaIwss-GI/AAAAAAAAF3c/Ib8E16geKRI/s400/2012-07-21_09-17-37_753.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BqXQwC8Yo1Y/UBfaJmAegxI/AAAAAAAAF3k/2Laotk8lzq0/s0/2012-07-21_09-17-57_9.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BqXQwC8Yo1Y/UBfaJmAegxI/AAAAAAAAF3k/2Laotk8lzq0/s400/2012-07-21_09-17-57_9.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-d196VgpQA20/UBfaLOwB5JI/AAAAAAAAF3s/1_LUVOeswSI/s0/2012-07-21_09-25-02_512.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-d196VgpQA20/UBfaLOwB5JI/AAAAAAAAF3s/1_LUVOeswSI/s400/2012-07-21_09-25-02_512.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-__LMaavfLro/UBfaMyj71JI/AAAAAAAAF30/HH7VrAXv9iM/s0/2012-07-21_09-26-20_453.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-__LMaavfLro/UBfaMyj71JI/AAAAAAAAF30/HH7VrAXv9iM/s400/2012-07-21_09-26-20_453.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QXdIDk0ImsI/UBfaOjz2caI/AAAAAAAAF38/d91EeFs7tjU/s0/2012-07-21_09-46-45_426.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QXdIDk0ImsI/UBfaOjz2caI/AAAAAAAAF38/d91EeFs7tjU/s400/2012-07-21_09-46-45_426.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HFUWusNsv28/UBfaP1W_1LI/AAAAAAAAF4E/QehVqLjuYAU/s0/2012-07-21_10-45-39_697.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HFUWusNsv28/UBfaP1W_1LI/AAAAAAAAF4E/QehVqLjuYAU/s400/2012-07-21_10-45-39_697.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-56ELtiNUPuU/UBfaRnahOHI/AAAAAAAAF4M/6ohvIpH0vGk/s0/2012-07-21_11-04-38_347.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-56ELtiNUPuU/UBfaRnahOHI/AAAAAAAAF4M/6ohvIpH0vGk/s400/2012-07-21_11-04-38_347.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rSE1LxAPkms/UBfaTP12uDI/AAAAAAAAF4U/0tyMy2NX6sY/s0/2012-07-21_11-44-05_656.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rSE1LxAPkms/UBfaTP12uDI/AAAAAAAAF4U/0tyMy2NX6sY/s400/2012-07-21_11-44-05_656.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-J7ekTI4MXUI/UBfaUrSVl1I/AAAAAAAAF4c/mFEBg_vG3bo/s0/2012-07-21_11-49-47_516.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-J7ekTI4MXUI/UBfaUrSVl1I/AAAAAAAAF4c/mFEBg_vG3bo/s400/2012-07-21_11-49-47_516.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9QYGN5dqtPc/UBfaXJNrUmI/AAAAAAAAF4s/f1HM6Ghd7Jk/s0/2012-07-21_12-14-36_42.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9QYGN5dqtPc/UBfaXJNrUmI/AAAAAAAAF4s/f1HM6Ghd7Jk/s400/2012-07-21_12-14-36_42.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-38F1FnVd6n0/UBfaV_d_6DI/AAAAAAAAF4k/D3kzyp87E0A/s0/2012-07-21_12-23-34_994.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-38F1FnVd6n0/UBfaV_d_6DI/AAAAAAAAF4k/D3kzyp87E0A/s400/2012-07-21_12-23-34_994.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0uIlwhrtuhI/UBfaad-gb-I/AAAAAAAAF48/tBbCQFuMd28/s0/2012-07-21_12-49-18_892.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0uIlwhrtuhI/UBfaad-gb-I/AAAAAAAAF48/tBbCQFuMd28/s400/2012-07-21_12-49-18_892.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HLi5jZTg9j0/UBfaYuTuubI/AAAAAAAAF40/ajwuaRas5V8/s0/2012-07-21_12-49-51_274.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HLi5jZTg9j0/UBfaYuTuubI/AAAAAAAAF40/ajwuaRas5V8/s400/2012-07-21_12-49-51_274.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xIGkj5xtsrg/UBfaeL8mRHI/AAAAAAAAF5M/Wj1m432oNHE/s0/2012-07-21_13-23-30_107.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xIGkj5xtsrg/UBfaeL8mRHI/AAAAAAAAF5M/Wj1m432oNHE/s400/2012-07-21_13-23-30_107.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-z6Xak_aYxNc/UBfaced_DWI/AAAAAAAAF5E/4wo-V2hZp_Q/s0/2012-07-21_15-58-46_38.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-z6Xak_aYxNc/UBfaced_DWI/AAAAAAAAF5E/4wo-V2hZp_Q/s400/2012-07-21_15-58-46_38.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wM4ebLEz7W8/UBfah4XgipI/AAAAAAAAF5c/gcSpI59Fdo4/s0/2012-07-21_14-54-35_864.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wM4ebLEz7W8/UBfah4XgipI/AAAAAAAAF5c/gcSpI59Fdo4/s400/2012-07-21_14-54-35_864.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-REKPsKRxb18/UBfagNrfvjI/AAAAAAAAF5U/1_aVt6l2wY4/s0/2012-07-21_19-50-59_360.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-REKPsKRxb18/UBfagNrfvjI/AAAAAAAAF5U/1_aVt6l2wY4/s400/2012-07-21_19-50-59_360.jpg' /></a></p><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-131-slacking-sobo-over-moosilauke.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-8099185494645960103Tue, 31 Jul 2012 13:01:00 +00002012-07-31T06:01:39.757-07:00Day 130. Slacking SOBO back to Hanover with Dad and Gy<b>Day 130. Slacking SOBO back to Hanover with Dad and Gy </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 20, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 130<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0521h @ Super 8 motel White River Junction, VT<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1761.6 mile @ 0835h at Dorchester Road. (Going SOBO)<br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b>1<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>9 (frustrated with incompetent hotel clerks)<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b>2<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Cool, upper 60s, clear, blue skies, slight breeze, perfect hiking weather! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1742.8 mile @ 1919h at Hanover, NH.<br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 19 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 1<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>9<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Cool, beautiful, mostly sunny, 70s <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 3:00 (included lots if driving to trailheads)<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>bed @ the Franklin Inn, St. Johnsbury, VT <br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> 2315h to journal. Asleep by 2340h.<br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $0 <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> Yes! Dad picked up my box in Hanover. I'm lucky that we share the same initials. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Rocky, rooty, smooth in places. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> none <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 9 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 0 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 16 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> <br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 29<br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 0<br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 1 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 1 (hotel)<p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Toxic - Britney Spears (I was so happy and the scenery so majestic that I couldn't help dancing on the Trail. Of course, I was alone at the time!) <br/> <li> You Keep Me Hanging On - Diana Ross <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Unknown <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Dad & Gy. Johannes. Alpo. All Smiles & Gumpy (I traded one of my step-mother's bran muffins for some of their jerky. A bad trade on my part!) Dickel. Wiffleball. Runoff. Hawk, Peeper, & Blues. T. Trog. The Birds (Flip-floppers). Achy Breaky. Philly Steve & Flint. Pony Love. Dash & Wild Child. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Dad and Gy brought me lunch (my own large pizza!) <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Maple <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Two eagles in a mating ritual over the cliffs! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> The cliffs <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> Feeling great! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> Feeling positive and happy! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> (Forgive the abbreviated notes. I didn't have the time to clean them up and add to them.) <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Hotel snafu. Had to relocate because they had no vacancy fir tonight despite assurances from the front desk the night before to the contrary, even after I specifically asked about Dartmouth's Parent's Day Weekend. <br/> <li> I hiked the first part of the day alone, but slacked SOBO, while dad found another hotel and Gy got more sleep. Apparently he didn't get much sleep last night. <br/> <li> The 50. 8 groups of 4 hikers of Dartmouth students try to hike 50 miles from Hanover to Moosilauke with stopping to sleep. Support crews are positioned about 10 miles apart, each with a different theme: superheroes, Star Wars (May the forest be with you), Alice in Wonderland, etc. <br/> <li> pizza, cookie hand delivered for lunch <br/> <li> maple syrup running from trees via long plastic tubing <br/> <li> lime center beautiful. Lovely area of the country! <br/> <li> flat tire that took a while to change <br/> <li> nice to be slacked and have someone to walk over the mountains with me. Three miles really flew by! So glad Dad and Gy were here with me! <br/> <li> I couldn't tell that Dad had had knee replacement surgery earlier in the year; he looked great and walked without any hobble! <br/> <li> The only hotel we could find with a vacancy was an hour north on the interstate. But it was a nice one and we all slept well! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> none <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> I fully charged the PEG at the hotel, then discharged it into my phone for precisely 15 minutes. Within two hours of walking on the AT the unit was blinking green again. At a lunch break, I then discharged the unit into my phone for 31 minutes and the unit did blink after 8 hours of hiking! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rlKIHsSEnuA/UBfW3oTGLjI/AAAAAAAAFzE/AOF9kavKmlU/s0/2012-07-20_09-27-29_931.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rlKIHsSEnuA/UBfW3oTGLjI/AAAAAAAAFzE/AOF9kavKmlU/s400/2012-07-20_09-27-29_931.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7R5i_tbasrs/UBfW5CXCitI/AAAAAAAAFzM/7LgtB7_pSog/s0/2012-07-20_10-32-28_290.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7R5i_tbasrs/UBfW5CXCitI/AAAAAAAAFzM/7LgtB7_pSog/s400/2012-07-20_10-32-28_290.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gmvAfY_4_18/UBfW6_-eW-I/AAAAAAAAFzU/fgwoUVtMWdw/s0/2012-07-20_10-31-53_347.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gmvAfY_4_18/UBfW6_-eW-I/AAAAAAAAFzU/fgwoUVtMWdw/s400/2012-07-20_10-31-53_347.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-llu1j_cCJ9M/UBfW8WhNaNI/AAAAAAAAFzc/4vce6PRIr9o/s0/2012-07-20_14-34-27_35.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-llu1j_cCJ9M/UBfW8WhNaNI/AAAAAAAAFzc/4vce6PRIr9o/s400/2012-07-20_14-34-27_35.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-J2tuPt-BZWQ/UBfW9AWZ3-I/AAAAAAAAFzk/si9ubch8HoM/s0/2012-07-20_15-18-07_490.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-J2tuPt-BZWQ/UBfW9AWZ3-I/AAAAAAAAFzk/si9ubch8HoM/s400/2012-07-20_15-18-07_490.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-c7Q-Lmd7Z3E/UBfW_a-T3MI/AAAAAAAAFzs/6K-H-WctYsU/s0/2012-07-20_16-14-20_284.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-c7Q-Lmd7Z3E/UBfW_a-T3MI/AAAAAAAAFzs/6K-H-WctYsU/s400/2012-07-20_16-14-20_284.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UyZ_4q1G-lI/UBfXBWOxVzI/AAAAAAAAFz0/qMwUUXLp1hk/s0/2012-07-20_16-14-36_255.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UyZ_4q1G-lI/UBfXBWOxVzI/AAAAAAAAFz0/qMwUUXLp1hk/s400/2012-07-20_16-14-36_255.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-oBE-VfvsiGI/UBfXCem_wlI/AAAAAAAAFz8/JBki_KuO-Os/s0/2012-07-20_16-47-30_185.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-oBE-VfvsiGI/UBfXCem_wlI/AAAAAAAAFz8/JBki_KuO-Os/s400/2012-07-20_16-47-30_185.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/--qd2Cd6I8dQ/UBfXEbFXS9I/AAAAAAAAF0E/45zjyyFtFMw/s0/2012-07-20_16-47-41_109.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/--qd2Cd6I8dQ/UBfXEbFXS9I/AAAAAAAAF0E/45zjyyFtFMw/s400/2012-07-20_16-47-41_109.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nhMUGM7My54/UBfXFpy70GI/AAAAAAAAF0M/nsuslIXLJGI/s0/2012-07-20_16-47-56_406.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nhMUGM7My54/UBfXFpy70GI/AAAAAAAAF0M/nsuslIXLJGI/s400/2012-07-20_16-47-56_406.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YF1jCDWcx98/UBfXHdheyyI/AAAAAAAAF0U/zXjzYWKedjg/s0/2012-07-20_17-20-19_254.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YF1jCDWcx98/UBfXHdheyyI/AAAAAAAAF0U/zXjzYWKedjg/s400/2012-07-20_17-20-19_254.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eKxq6Xez3EE/UBfXIfvv6II/AAAAAAAAF0c/WqVaaYhlQ1Y/s0/2012-07-20_17-58-42_461.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eKxq6Xez3EE/UBfXIfvv6II/AAAAAAAAF0c/WqVaaYhlQ1Y/s400/2012-07-20_17-58-42_461.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-L16Eya_ZLtM/UBfXKEzbZZI/AAAAAAAAF0k/XUHxMSgc5Hg/s0/2012-07-20_18-37-20_89.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-L16Eya_ZLtM/UBfXKEzbZZI/AAAAAAAAF0k/XUHxMSgc5Hg/s400/2012-07-20_18-37-20_89.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UOrogZ3jXXY/UBfXLa5vjbI/AAAAAAAAF0s/CES0hVLiMQY/s0/2012-07-20_18-59-44_304.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UOrogZ3jXXY/UBfXLa5vjbI/AAAAAAAAF0s/CES0hVLiMQY/s400/2012-07-20_18-59-44_304.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7QnZQl-6S3w/UBfXMZzGysI/AAAAAAAAF00/yVxHcjoL1zc/s0/2012-07-20_19-46-45_204.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7QnZQl-6S3w/UBfXMZzGysI/AAAAAAAAF00/yVxHcjoL1zc/s400/2012-07-20_19-46-45_204.jpg' /></a></p><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-130-slacking-sobo-back-to-hanover.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-6132085046862177839Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:51:00 +00002012-07-31T05:51:50.671-07:00Day 129. Into New Hampshire to await Dad and Gy<b> Day 129. Into New Hampshire to await Dad and Gy </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 19, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 129<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0513h @ Steve's place in West Hartford<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1732.4 mile @ 0738h at Steve's place in West Hartford <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>9<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Mostly sunny, cool, low to mid 60s, pleasant, beautiful <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1742.8 mile @ 1225h at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH<br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 10.4 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>9<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 3<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Sunny, warm, upper 70s lower 80s. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 0:46<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>bed @ Super 8 hotel in White River Junction<br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> In bed at 2305h to journal. Asleep by 0015h.<br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $81 (hotel, but Dad would later insist on reimbursing me.) <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Today's path is another smooth and soft one. And the terrain is not steep and the elevations are not great, so I was able to cover the ten miles quickly and easily. I wish the open, weedy sections were trimmed a bit more, but otherwise the Trail was well-maintained. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> The bag in which I store my stove, windscreen, and flint & steel has developed a hole along a seam, so I used a needle and thread to patch it. <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 7 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 4 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 30 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 4 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 3.4 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 1 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 5<br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 0<br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 1 (hotel)<p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Like a Prayer - Madonna <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> xxx <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Rainbow. Mamaw B. Skunkape. Baked Beans. Earl Grey (nice SOBO who told me about the free transit in Hanover that will take me for free to White River Junction where lodging is much cheaper with more choices.) All Smiles & Hawk. Soft Walker & Mountain Laurel (SOBOs). Peeper. Blues. Chuckie the Fish (SH from Harpers Ferry). <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Coming out if the woods into a residential neighborhood of the town of Norwich, VT, several of the homes had placed fruit, cookies, and other goodies out for the thru-hikers to enjoy. My favorite was a shortbread cookie with a sign written in a child's hand that read, "Trail Majic". <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Nothing unusual <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> I heard moose calls this morning, but still have not seen a moose on this trip. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> Connecticut River from the bridge that passes from Vermont to New Hampshire <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Dartmouth! Hanover - a great college and Trail town. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> I'm feeling great. Tired, but great.vc <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> Feeling happy. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> The stars were lovely last night, but seemed out of place because I was at such a high latitude. The north star, for example, was much higher overhead than it was in Georgia. <br/> <li> Steve neglected to tell us that there was a train track immediately in back of his yard and that trains run through a few times each night. My hammock was hung at the very rear of his property, so in the middle of the night I was violently startled awake by a locomotive's headlight shining directly into my eyes and the sound of a hundred freight cars hurtling directly towards me! For the life of me I couldn't figure out how I ended up directly on the tracks, and my last thought was, "Which one of my hiking buddies wanted to kill me by placing my body on the tracks." <br/> <li> The making of the pancakes this morning was another train wreck that turned out to be not that bad. As I was dehydrating the blueberries to make syrup, the pan tipped over and berries fell into the grass. I salvaged what I could and Rainbow came to my rescue with a handful of Crasins, which, along with the salvaged blueberries, made a fantastic syrup. I then screwed up the batter by adding too much water, despite the fact that I reminded myself to add the water slowly so as not to make it to thin. So, I made crepes instead of pancakes, but they were terrible. Rainbow and Mamaw B were to polite to say so and ate a couple of servings, anyway. I just hope they made it to the dinner fir a real breakfast! <br/> <li> Last night I couldn't sleep, so around midnight I watched an episode of Frasier via Netflix. During one of Niles' funny diatribes I forgot where I was and giggled out loud. I immediately remembered that I was surrounded my sleeping hikers, but didn't think it was loud enough to be noticed. In the morning, however, both Skunkape and Mamaw B asked me why I was crying in my sleep! <br/> <li> Chuckie the Fish and I walked the last few miles into Hanover together. It was nice to chat with someone new as I hiked. He was nice and adjusted his pace to match mine. That is to say, he allowed waited for me on the downhills. <br/> <li> Coming out of the woods onto Elm Street in Norwich, VT, I encountered lots of Trail Magic on the road! My favorite were homemade cookies with a sign obviously painted by a young child that read, "Trail Majic". I know from SOBOs that this it's a daily ritual for the family. Other houses also left treats. <br/> <li> I am really going to miss Vermont! The scenery and vistas were spectacular. The Trail was often soft and well-maintained through lovely forests of a variety of trees. We entered the real mountains again and left behind the megapolis. And the people were extraordinarily friendly, kind, welcoming, and enjoyable! There wee only two ways the state could Haber unnoticed in my mind: the open weedy areas could have used a touch more trimming and the trail junctions could use a few more signs and blazes. Otherwise, I thought the state was perfect and is my new favorite. <br/> <li> I'm in New Hampshire! Just crossed the VT/NH state line with Chuckie the Fish. New Hampshire is arguably the AT's toughest and must beautiful state. As Bill Bryson put it: "Once you hit NH you've done 80% of the AT but only 50% of the work." OnLy one more state line to go! I'm psyched! <br/> <li> The town of Hanover and the Dartmouth campus are beautiful and bustling. It was clear that the people in this college town enjoyed their outdoor activities! <br/> <li> The talk among us NOBOs for the past week has been the Whites. More specifically, the White Mountains. Just a glance at the elevation profile of these imposing mountains can strike fear in a hiker's heart. (To me they resemble what Lance Armstrong's EKG must look like on a grueling ride. Actually, our trepidations are greatly reduced by talking with the increasing number of SOBOs we pass every day now. Each one says the Whites are difficult, but fun and spectacularly beautiful. <br/> <li> I am confused by the huts and how their staff determined which hikers are allowed to stay there and who gets leftovers. The huts are expensive lodges that tourists use to hike the rugged Whites. Spaced about 8-10 miles apart, the huts make natural stopping points fir the average hiker. Because of their ruggedness and steepness, miles are usually drastically reduced even among thru-hikers. It is published that the huts can allow only two (count them, 2) thru-hikers to stay the night for free on any given night. But hikers must stay either at a hut or a designated campsite, which require a small fee to be paid. Stealth camping is not permitted, and if the weather is bad price be very dangerous. So my confusion is centered around the huts. How will I know if I am one of the lucky stay-for-free hikers? How can I plan my days not knowing where I'll stay? How much food should I bring? If I get leftovers that means I don't have to carry the heavy weight of multiple days worth of food up and over the mountains, but there's no guarantee of getting leftovers. And then there's the weather. If it's bad, the Whites are impassable, and how does one figure food and lodging into something with such variability? I was just plain confused. However, in chatting with SOBOs I've learned, for example, that if you arrive at a hut after, say, 4 pm and are polite without an air of entitlement they will give all thru-hikers an opportunity to work for a free stay. Some of the work-for-stay jobs include doing odd jobs, helping in the kitchen, managing a small section of trail, or giving a lecture to the paying guests. For that, hikers are allowed to sleep under the dining room tables and eat the leftovers at no cost. This tradition was started when Earl Schaffer, the AT's first thru-hiker, came through and the staff treated him like royalty. So the SOBOs have been great to answer my questions and clear up any concerns I had about the huts. <br/> <li> I used the internet on my phone to find decent lodging that wasn't wicked expensive for Dad, Gy, and myself. I then hopped on the free Advance Transit bus (Orange route) to the Super 8 just across the river in White River Junction, VT to eat any remaining food in my pack, rest my legs, and wait for Dad and Gy. <br/> <li> I learned that Douglas, yet another of my brothers, was also flying in to hike with me for a few days! We Odom's love surprises! <br/> <li> It was great to see Dad and Gy tonight! They brought me lots of healthy snacks and duct tape. Just seeing them lifted my spirits! I'm happy that they are here and look forward to hiking with them during the next three days. <br/> <li> Sadly, Douglas' flight was canceled and he will not be joining us. I hope that he is able to do done of the Trail with me for I think he would really enjoy it. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> none <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> All devices were charged at the hotel. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-czrIXAcvPss/UBfUoAB3BTI/AAAAAAAAFxU/1gvpKv9i9sE/s0/2012-07-19_06-11-50_717.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-czrIXAcvPss/UBfUoAB3BTI/AAAAAAAAFxU/1gvpKv9i9sE/s400/2012-07-19_06-11-50_717.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/--bUSzjsQqbI/UBfUpcMAURI/AAAAAAAAFxc/7oKUpnJJlRU/s0/2012-07-19_08-03-28_648.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/--bUSzjsQqbI/UBfUpcMAURI/AAAAAAAAFxc/7oKUpnJJlRU/s400/2012-07-19_08-03-28_648.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XmdA5R-R5Zk/UBfUqguC9xI/AAAAAAAAFxk/3LX5VPF6hk4/s0/2012-07-19_08-51-54_749.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XmdA5R-R5Zk/UBfUqguC9xI/AAAAAAAAFxk/3LX5VPF6hk4/s400/2012-07-19_08-51-54_749.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pJ3r9YWJzYw/UBfUsGB1yEI/AAAAAAAAFxs/u0nPTzKTS-U/s0/2012-07-19_08-57-59_6.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pJ3r9YWJzYw/UBfUsGB1yEI/AAAAAAAAFxs/u0nPTzKTS-U/s400/2012-07-19_08-57-59_6.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7kV9n6XqBsc/UBfUtn1lAtI/AAAAAAAAFx0/X8YKg079f2I/s0/2012-07-19_09-54-51_394.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7kV9n6XqBsc/UBfUtn1lAtI/AAAAAAAAFx0/X8YKg079f2I/s400/2012-07-19_09-54-51_394.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HyVQpp6Ogf4/UBfUvBFq1aI/AAAAAAAAFx8/I2rEjws2uXc/s0/2012-07-19_11-29-02_347.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HyVQpp6Ogf4/UBfUvBFq1aI/AAAAAAAAFx8/I2rEjws2uXc/s400/2012-07-19_11-29-02_347.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HybIHlZ6m58/UBfUwjLxBLI/AAAAAAAAFyE/Uc_br5snInM/s0/2012-07-19_11-46-40_55.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HybIHlZ6m58/UBfUwjLxBLI/AAAAAAAAFyE/Uc_br5snInM/s400/2012-07-19_11-46-40_55.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vz6Ehjsl930/UBfUxy5TNDI/AAAAAAAAFyM/pfNOEuQvqDA/s0/2012-07-19_11-55-27_270.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-vz6Ehjsl930/UBfUxy5TNDI/AAAAAAAAFyM/pfNOEuQvqDA/s400/2012-07-19_11-55-27_270.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Dh0vdDP8YYQ/UBfUynB7ZbI/AAAAAAAAFyU/xXd2nHXRxvQ/s0/2012-07-19_12-08-24_746.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Dh0vdDP8YYQ/UBfUynB7ZbI/AAAAAAAAFyU/xXd2nHXRxvQ/s400/2012-07-19_12-08-24_746.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L_ROehrzfqE/UBfUz01fDJI/AAAAAAAAFyc/NYxZcTlcQFA/s0/2012-07-19_12-08-45_727.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L_ROehrzfqE/UBfUz01fDJI/AAAAAAAAFyc/NYxZcTlcQFA/s400/2012-07-19_12-08-45_727.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KfSfE7mt0kY/UBfU1I3DwsI/AAAAAAAAFyk/Ib85E1dgpGk/s0/2012-07-19_12-09-44_889.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KfSfE7mt0kY/UBfU1I3DwsI/AAAAAAAAFyk/Ib85E1dgpGk/s400/2012-07-19_12-09-44_889.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mSkqq8vazzs/UBfU2-bHXfI/AAAAAAAAFys/bBxsApm9xsQ/s0/2012-07-19_12-13-34_988.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mSkqq8vazzs/UBfU2-bHXfI/AAAAAAAAFys/bBxsApm9xsQ/s400/2012-07-19_12-13-34_988.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VgDeB7lwgfA/UBfU4bPk04I/AAAAAAAAFy0/lbECEuk6h24/s0/2012-07-19_12-23-11_448.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VgDeB7lwgfA/UBfU4bPk04I/AAAAAAAAFy0/lbECEuk6h24/s400/2012-07-19_12-23-11_448.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jhtStiwwtGg/UBfU4xfqKrI/AAAAAAAAFy8/xnUV3-iaooY/s0/2012-07-19_21-48-45_475.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jhtStiwwtGg/UBfU4xfqKrI/AAAAAAAAFy8/xnUV3-iaooY/s400/2012-07-19_21-48-45_475.jpg' /></a></p><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-129-into-new-hampshire-to-await-dad.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-4609001748308986299Tue, 31 Jul 2012 12:39:00 +00002012-07-31T05:39:29.702-07:00Day 128. A remarkable day with filled with friends, food, fruit, and views<b>Day 128. A remarkable day with filled with friends, food, fruit, and views </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 18, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 128<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0621h @ Wintturi Shelter<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1715.8 mile @ 0851h at Wintturi Shelter<br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b>3<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b> 7 (wet clothes & boots)<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 1<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> low 70s, cloudy, humid, damp from yesterday's rain <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1732.4 mile @ 1975h in the town of West Hartford, VT at the house of Steve, the sign maker who let's you stay in his back yard! <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 16.9 miles<br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 4<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>9<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 5<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Partly cloudy, warm, mid 80s, breezy <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 2:21<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>hammock @ Steve's back yard<br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> In hammock at 2113h to journal. Asleep at 2245h. <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $4 (ice cream) <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Soft and smooth! SOBOs: take a picture of this fabulous trail because you won't see the likes of this EVER AGAIN! I think I counted 6 rocks all day! However, I wish the open, weedy sections were trimmed a bit more, but otherwise the Trail was well-maintained. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> none <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 8 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 8 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 33 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 7 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 4 <br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 5 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 6 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Gold Digger - Kanye West <br/> <li> The Heat is On - Glen Fry <br/> <li> Right as Rain - Adele <br/> <li> Super Trouper - ABBA <br/> <li> Heart of Glass - Blondie <br/> <li> Like a Prayer - Madonna <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> The family was going to the pool to spend time with friends next door who they haven't seen in two weeks. Kathleen ordered and mailed me a new electronics charger. <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Julia, a young woman from Germany doing a section hike of VT and NH. Gandalf (he walks with a staff). All Smiles & Gumpy - there was no water at the cabin at the overlook where they stayed last night, but they had great views and a great time. Man Cub & Kit Fox (It's her birthday tomorrow, but she and Man Cub are getting off to see her mom and take a zero). A couple of SH from Georgia and I complained that the humidity for the last few days feels like the Deep South. A number of SOBOs whose names I didn't catch. (So far today SOBOs tend to be not too friendly and rarely want to stop to say hello.) Wiffleball, Hawk, Gumpy, Peeper, Rainbow, Mamaw B, T, Blues. Choo Choo (a friendly SOBO who talked with me about the next water and shelter.) Chef & Avocado (super nice SOBOs). Magpie. At Steve's backyard/campsite: All Smiles, Wiffleball, Hawk, Gumpy, Peeper, Blues, Rainbow, Mamaw B, T, and Magpie! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> I had a ton of hikers' leftovers: Peeper's mint chip ice cream. Hawk's cherry and apple pie. T's sandwich and chips. Rainbow's sandwich and lemonade. I wasn't mooching - honest! Just lucky I guess! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Blackberries! Raspberries! Maple trees, many with sap drainage hoses. Magnificent pine and birch groves. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Nothing memorable. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> There were many wonderful views today! The vistas were of rugged mountains, picturesque hamlets, and deep valleys - much like what we saw in the Deep South. I am happy to be back in the real mountains and significant wilderness! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> On the Edge Farm <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> Feeling well. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> Thinking well. I'm exited because I feel we're on the brink of something wonderful. I was delighted to reconnect with some of my dear friends. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I was hesitant to leave the shelter today. I'm just not ready to start walking I guess. <br/> <li> But just minutes after hitting the Trail I was happy to be walking again. Even when wet, I'm fortunate to be hiking in this beautiful state. I'm glad to be healthy and on the AT! <br/> <li> I and every other hiker on the Trail today it seemed had a great stop at the On the Edge Farm! Our guide books say the farm is 0.2 miles of the AT, but in reality it is only 150 steps! I was happy to see that many of my thru-hiker friends were there when I arrived. I enjoyed my green mint ice cream. And I enjoyed Peeper's I've cream leftovers. And I enjoyed Hawk's blueberry & sour cherry our leftovers. Delicious homemade pies - yum! <br/> <li> I did see my first patch of Ver-mud, which is the name given to the state by thru-hikers because there is often huge muddy bogs that must be traversed. I did sink into the squishy muck up to the top of my boots, but because we've had so little rain, Ver-mud had not been an issue. My feet and boots were just about completely dried out and then I meet the bog coming down Dana Hill (I think) and both boots are now soaking again and completely caked in mud. <br/> <li> I enjoyed hiking a good portion of the latter half of the Trail with Rainbow. She's in a lot of pain due to a pinched sciatica nerve and I really feel for her. I gave her some Aleve and walked and chatted with her to try to take her mind off the pain. We were both happy to have company and reconnect with each other. The last seven miles was much easier because of it. I can't believe it's been since Damascus since I saw her last. <br/> <li> With their packs outside in the holding area, there was no doubt where ALL the hikers in town were: the Full Belly Deli! They had good food. I know this not because I ordered any, but rather because my friends were finishing up with their meals when Rainbow and I arrived and many of them gave me their leftovers that they couldn't finish. <br/> <li> By word of mouth I learned about a place in West Hartford were a former thru-hiker (who now is in the business of making signs) allows hikers to stay in his back yard. The fellow's name is Steve and he's a real friendly fellow. He thru-hiked the AT in 2005 (I believe) and has since opened his yard to hikers. His back yard was a tent and hammock city! He provided water to drink, a nice brook in which to cool of, and use of his bathroom in his house - just knock! The cool thing for me was that I was friends with every one of the 12 hikers camping there. It felt great to be among so many nice friends! <br/> <li> Tomorrow will be a short 10-mile day into Hanover, NH (another state!) where I will reconnect with with my dad and brother, Gy. I'm so looking forward to seeing them! <br/> <li> The weather had turned cool again! With a straight face I told T that was great news because I wouldn't have to sleep naked tonight. I think she halfway believed me. <br/> <li> I was encouraged by everyone's complaint that today and yesterday, though with a soft footpath and beautiful scenery, were physically demanding days. Everyone seems sore, tired, stiff, and beat up - but we're all very happy. I feel that something special is about to happen if our bodies would just hold together a little while longer! <br/> <li> I'm making pancakes for Rainbow and Mamaw B in the morning. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Even if you haven't seen a friend for over 1,000 miles, it is possible (likely?) that you'll catch up with them sometime before you finish. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> The PEG was blinking when I plugged in my phone and I discharged it for only 12.5 minutes. However, after 8 hours of hiking there was no blinking LED. That night I needed to charge my phone more fully and by my calculations expected the PEG to give me at least two hours of charge, but the unit only discharged for an hour until it was drained. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Y3I4mXjsEVg/UBfRdJ6LckI/AAAAAAAAFsg/I2Tsc63tGAM/s0/2012-07-18_10-39-51_168.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Y3I4mXjsEVg/UBfRdJ6LckI/AAAAAAAAFsg/I2Tsc63tGAM/s400/2012-07-18_10-39-51_168.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-k6CwhNu0xxU/UBfRfYmR83I/AAAAAAAAFso/hw9G2rW2wIg/s0/2012-07-18_10-44-23_639.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-k6CwhNu0xxU/UBfRfYmR83I/AAAAAAAAFso/hw9G2rW2wIg/s400/2012-07-18_10-44-23_639.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kszlGHWFh7g/UBfRgdDqV4I/AAAAAAAAFsw/F5auW-APVno/s0/2012-07-18_10-58-45_671.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kszlGHWFh7g/UBfRgdDqV4I/AAAAAAAAFsw/F5auW-APVno/s400/2012-07-18_10-58-45_671.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZBH_n0t5YIY/UBfRh9MPdMI/AAAAAAAAFs4/GGJmCAzGwao/s0/2012-07-18_10-53-52_37.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZBH_n0t5YIY/UBfRh9MPdMI/AAAAAAAAFs4/GGJmCAzGwao/s400/2012-07-18_10-53-52_37.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oLOaCHqY-ZI/UBfRjXg2HMI/AAAAAAAAFtA/jKXm66MvnmI/s0/2012-07-18_11-29-58_147.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oLOaCHqY-ZI/UBfRjXg2HMI/AAAAAAAAFtA/jKXm66MvnmI/s400/2012-07-18_11-29-58_147.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IIhh2jOd_oE/UBfRlQXrBCI/AAAAAAAAFtI/bKxmWqoJp2Y/s0/2012-07-18_12-44-46_544.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IIhh2jOd_oE/UBfRlQXrBCI/AAAAAAAAFtI/bKxmWqoJp2Y/s400/2012-07-18_12-44-46_544.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-I8PxfTuYT2c/UBfRm7mE4VI/AAAAAAAAFtQ/zDwk2Vs0pVA/s0/2012-07-18_14-24-40_608.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-I8PxfTuYT2c/UBfRm7mE4VI/AAAAAAAAFtQ/zDwk2Vs0pVA/s400/2012-07-18_14-24-40_608.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UitCrHJBU0g/UBfRnnJFaoI/AAAAAAAAFtY/HJTdLKQaIz0/s0/2012-07-18_15-04-02_772.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UitCrHJBU0g/UBfRnnJFaoI/AAAAAAAAFtY/HJTdLKQaIz0/s400/2012-07-18_15-04-02_772.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zy05aO3DJJ0/UBfRpPYdHCI/AAAAAAAAFtg/NaOUNJ91wYM/s0/2012-07-18_15-04-24_391.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zy05aO3DJJ0/UBfRpPYdHCI/AAAAAAAAFtg/NaOUNJ91wYM/s400/2012-07-18_15-04-24_391.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZAVvzGujDro/UBfRqo4SEJI/AAAAAAAAFto/ql19L_ktClo/s0/2012-07-18_15-14-32_531.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZAVvzGujDro/UBfRqo4SEJI/AAAAAAAAFto/ql19L_ktClo/s400/2012-07-18_15-14-32_531.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OAYdvs-j-iI/UBfRsQMrgoI/AAAAAAAAFtw/hBkjONCfNN4/s0/2012-07-18_15-20-56_702.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OAYdvs-j-iI/UBfRsQMrgoI/AAAAAAAAFtw/hBkjONCfNN4/s400/2012-07-18_15-20-56_702.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MeQLfJ6BWVQ/UBfRt4qBYsI/AAAAAAAAFt4/3liniYwM-Lc/s0/2012-07-18_16-21-36_65.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MeQLfJ6BWVQ/UBfRt4qBYsI/AAAAAAAAFt4/3liniYwM-Lc/s400/2012-07-18_16-21-36_65.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IVQZDJquAM8/UBfRvXanE4I/AAAAAAAAFuA/wo9KT38-XiA/s0/2012-07-18_17-30-01_665.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IVQZDJquAM8/UBfRvXanE4I/AAAAAAAAFuA/wo9KT38-XiA/s400/2012-07-18_17-30-01_665.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-A7brPGWH40U/UBfRw7UcH4I/AAAAAAAAFuI/fIf55DWpJdc/s0/2012-07-18_17-34-53_312.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-A7brPGWH40U/UBfRw7UcH4I/AAAAAAAAFuI/fIf55DWpJdc/s400/2012-07-18_17-34-53_312.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_jQl9rXTdig/UBfRyjYcDjI/AAAAAAAAFuQ/IX5DNCWrHnk/s0/2012-07-18_17-43-29_463.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_jQl9rXTdig/UBfRyjYcDjI/AAAAAAAAFuQ/IX5DNCWrHnk/s400/2012-07-18_17-43-29_463.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aH3nXZVEenw/UBfRzsKpfbI/AAAAAAAAFuY/kmz9V06O2Sg/s0/2012-07-18_17-45-51_915.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-aH3nXZVEenw/UBfRzsKpfbI/AAAAAAAAFuY/kmz9V06O2Sg/s400/2012-07-18_17-45-51_915.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7BPbLt_LKKA/UBfR2VvXWlI/AAAAAAAAFuo/FwKONSo8D9o/s0/2012-07-18_18-26-48_510.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7BPbLt_LKKA/UBfR2VvXWlI/AAAAAAAAFuo/FwKONSo8D9o/s400/2012-07-18_18-26-48_510.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uMSSPOQNi18/UBfR07CJWBI/AAAAAAAAFug/ywVMmApgn-8/s0/2012-07-18_18-35-50_244.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uMSSPOQNi18/UBfR07CJWBI/AAAAAAAAFug/ywVMmApgn-8/s400/2012-07-18_18-35-50_244.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gWPiqRFKxgk/UBfR4zURddI/AAAAAAAAFu4/jwZl4ywSyk8/s0/2012-07-18_19-01-12_825.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gWPiqRFKxgk/UBfR4zURddI/AAAAAAAAFu4/jwZl4ywSyk8/s400/2012-07-18_19-01-12_825.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-E0Ak5ntFnGM/UBfR3pEjOSI/AAAAAAAAFuw/B0hkgBCbKKs/s0/2012-07-18_19-09-41_100.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-E0Ak5ntFnGM/UBfR3pEjOSI/AAAAAAAAFuw/B0hkgBCbKKs/s400/2012-07-18_19-09-41_100.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XzRPmsCULjg/UBfR6_mNTUI/AAAAAAAAFvI/bks0I7cdKjo/s0/2012-07-18_19-43-41_737.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XzRPmsCULjg/UBfR6_mNTUI/AAAAAAAAFvI/bks0I7cdKjo/s400/2012-07-18_19-43-41_737.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-e5m8vivucDg/UBfR6N1KlBI/AAAAAAAAFvA/25vhXrE6ibo/s0/2012-07-18_19-47-29_701.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-e5m8vivucDg/UBfR6N1KlBI/AAAAAAAAFvA/25vhXrE6ibo/s400/2012-07-18_19-47-29_701.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cgv1wJyRrYE/UBfR9GnJ81I/AAAAAAAAFvY/h5OhSzAjlU4/s0/2012-07-18_19-49-27_647.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cgv1wJyRrYE/UBfR9GnJ81I/AAAAAAAAFvY/h5OhSzAjlU4/s400/2012-07-18_19-49-27_647.jpg' /></a></p><p><a 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Odom)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-7373561345494305146Mon, 23 Jul 2012 10:06:00 +00002012-07-23T03:06:24.637-07:00Day 127. A rainy day of ups and downs in Vermont<b>Day 127. A rainy day of ups and downs in Vermont</b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 27, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 127<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0545h @ The Inn at Long Trail<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1699.2 mile @ 1026h at The Inn at Long Trail <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b>1 (I ate a huge double breakfast)<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Rain, overcast, but soon turned to sunny, warm, humid, breezy, low 80s <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1715.8 mile @ 2002h at Wintturi Shelter <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> +1.2 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>7<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 5<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Rain, wind, fog, humidmid to upper 70s. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 1:56<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b> in the Winturri Shelter<br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> Settled down by 2145h to journal. Asleep by 2255h. <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $16 (breakfast and tip)<br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Damp in the morning. Soaking wet in the evening. The Trail in this section is steep in places, but well-maintained and easily passable. That is, not many roots and rocks! Lots of soft ground, some covered in a nice later of pine needles. Fantastic, and so unusual! I do wish the open, weedy sections were trimmed a bit more, but otherwise the Trail was well-maintained. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> none <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 5.5 Liters (not nearly enough!) <br/> <br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 13 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 36 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 1 (Stony Brook due to a washed out bridge)<br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0<br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 1 <br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 5 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 15 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <lI> The Year of the Cat - All Stevens <br/> <li> I Still Love You - Sting <br/> <li> Going to Fly Now (Rocky theme song) - Bill Conti <br/> <li> Staying Alive - Bee Gees <br/> <li> Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Unknown <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Blues, All Smiles, Wiffleball, Hawk, Gumpy, Peeper, Baked Beans, Flint. The Pink Panthers ('94) - a wonderful couple in their 80s doing an extend SH: "we take care of our bodies"! At the shelter: Rainbow, Mamaw B, T, Skunkape, Philly Steve, Baked Beans, and Spiderman, a talkative SOBO who had lots of good info about the Trail to the north. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Having space made for me in the shelter tonight. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> The usual suspects. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> I saw a few piles of moose scat and this surprised me because I was near the top of a mountain, and assumed the moose would more likely be in the valleys where it is wetter. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> Although I didn't go, I heard The Lookout was nice. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> AT skirts the eastern shore of Kent Pond and makes for some fine walking! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> I am feeling great! Knees and feet are perpetually sore and stiff, but we all work around that! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> I'm feeling positive and confident but ready to be done. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <lI> I ate two breakfasts at the Inn (omlet and blueberry pancakes - with real Vermont maple syrup, of course!) and they were both delicious. I was only going to get the omlet but the cook reminded me we were in Vermont - home to the best maple syrup and I couldn't resist. I won't be hungry today! <br/> <li> Happily, I was able to upload my three latest blog posts this morning. So I'm I in track! <br/> <li> A storm passed through this morning, so all the hikers, including me, were dragging their feet to leave until it passed. It looks like we're going to get wet today no matter how long we wait. <br/> <li> Actually, soon after beginning, the rain stopped and the sun came out. <br/> <li> I was disappointed that we were rerouted today around a boardwalk that was damaged by Irene. I think it took us below a nice waterfall. It also added 0.6 miles to the day. Drat! <br/> <li> The 1.3-mile climb up Rounds Pinnacles was a steep one, which nearly took an hour for me complete. <br/> <li> I am encouraged by Gumpy and Peeper's deadline to finish. They need to finish between August 15 & 17, about ten days earlier than I predict I'll finish. I'm with them now and we seem to be hiking at the same pace. They are from the area and know the Whites well, so perhaps I'll finish earlier than expected. Gumpy was kind enough to invite me into their "hiker family", which consists of Gumpy Peeper, All Smiles, Hawk, Blues, and Wiffleball. Hiking with a group has certain disadvantages, so I doubt I'll officially join, but if I can keep pace with them it would be great for a number of reasons. I like their company and I'd love to finish in mid August! <br/> <li> Rain came pouring down just after I reached Chateauguay Road and pretty much lasted the remaining 5 miles. Thunder and lightning were in the distance, but I never felt in danger even though the rain was heavy. <br/> <li> Gumpy and I walked together in the rain, and when we could we chatted a bit. He's a doctor of family medicine and in on this hike thanks to a 5 month sabbatical grabbed him by his hospital. He and his daughter, Peeper, have been planning their excursion together for the past five years. Their age difference is the same as mine and Josie's. Hummm. <br/> <li> When Gumpy and I arrived at the trail to the Lookout, we saw Peeper's hiking sticks pointing toward the lookout. I assumed that she was telling her dad to come up and enjoy the view with her, but when I arrived at the shelter and none of the gang was there, I realized that they must have all stopped there and stayed at the cabin. I would have enjoyed staking there with them, but I'm happy to have put nearly three more miles behind me, and I'm glad to be at this shelter tonight because the conversation was lively, varied, fun, and lasted until 10 pm, all of which is very unusual. For the past couple of months thru-hikers (including me) have been so focused on getting their miles in, but recently I've noticed the thru-hiking crowd having more fun and trying to soak in the last remaining 500 miles. <br/> <li> I arrived at the shelter to find it was full, but the nice folks there (at Rainbow's prompting) said I could sleep perpendicular to them, along the opening of the shelter. There's a but of an overhang, so I'm hoping I don't get wet. It was already dark when I arrived and I still needed to collect water, cook dinner, and dry out, so I was happy that I didn't have to hang my hammock tonight. <br/> <li> Rainbow is so nice and thoughtful. She and I will overlap in Hanover this Thursday and Friday. She's visiting her 93-year-old aunt, and I'll be there with Dad and Gy. She suggested eating pizza at Molly's, right there on the main drag. Perhaps our paths will cross there; Dad would enjoy meeting her. <br/> <li> I enjoyed going to sleep on the edge of the shelter floor listening to the hikers' snores and the sound of rain on the leaves and metal roof above. Lightning could be seen in the distance and the cool breeze created by the weather system was pleasant. I was dry and mosquitoes were nonexistent. What a perfect way to end a long, hard day! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> When taking a break, place your sweat-soaked backpack in the sun to dry out. <br/> <li> Never take a backwards step in the woods; it is guaranteed to trip you! <br/> <li> I was thirsty but didn't want to halt my progress in the storm, and I didn't want to make Gumpy have to stop. I discovered that I was able to drink as I walked by pulling the bill of my rain hat down in front of my nose, and by doing so, funnel the runoff into my mouth. <br/> <li> It is amazing what the human body can do when the mind becomes involved. For instance, with 8 miles to go in the day's hike, I was tired and hungry and looking for a place to take a break. Then a thunderstorm rolled in, and realizing I was on a ridge (not where you want to be with lightning around) discovered I was no longer tired and hungry. In fact, I found that I could walk faster than normal, no problem, and didn't stop again until reaching the shelter. I'm telling you, the brain is the next great frontier in science! <br/> <li> It's all about the smiles, not the miles! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> After a couple of hours of walking (about 4 miles) the PEG had gone to blinking green! Recall that was after a 1 minute and 42 second discharged into my phone. Now I'll discharge it for 2 minutes and see what I get. Here's the data table: <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> 0:1:42 discharge = less than 2 hours walking <br/> <li> 0:2:00 discharge = less than 1.25 hr <br/> <li> 0:4:34 discharge = less than 1.1 hr <br/> <li> 0:8:00 discharge = less than 50 min <br/> <li> I was hoping to collect more data today, but I was trying to out run a storm and didn't have the time to stop. Fortunately, the PEG seems to be working beautifully so far during my little experiment and my phone has more battery life than ever before! More data will be collected tomorrow and I'll pick up where I left off today. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dnxcbhuWLxw/UA0h-L1nOaI/AAAAAAAAFo4/cZ80OYS3QDM/s0/2012-07-17_11-07-11_756.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dnxcbhuWLxw/UA0h-L1nOaI/AAAAAAAAFo4/cZ80OYS3QDM/s400/2012-07-17_11-07-11_756.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Tddua6LvbJs/UA0h-3peoII/AAAAAAAAFpA/9tqAQiLlZ38/s0/2012-07-17_11-13-49_198.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Tddua6LvbJs/UA0h-3peoII/AAAAAAAAFpA/9tqAQiLlZ38/s400/2012-07-17_11-13-49_198.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-k7XkFwo77no/UA0h_XAhxTI/AAAAAAAAFpI/YWIax8ReMPM/s0/2012-07-17_11-14-20_266.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-k7XkFwo77no/UA0h_XAhxTI/AAAAAAAAFpI/YWIax8ReMPM/s400/2012-07-17_11-14-20_266.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bGEXKYsQnPs/UA0iADHscCI/AAAAAAAAFpQ/Nqe8Wg6YYPw/s0/2012-07-17_11-25-11_983.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bGEXKYsQnPs/UA0iADHscCI/AAAAAAAAFpQ/Nqe8Wg6YYPw/s400/2012-07-17_11-25-11_983.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0O7lNygI_8c/UA0iA2LczsI/AAAAAAAAFpY/r9kb8n5ENYU/s0/2012-07-17_11-25-37_104.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0O7lNygI_8c/UA0iA2LczsI/AAAAAAAAFpY/r9kb8n5ENYU/s400/2012-07-17_11-25-37_104.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DFT0nD5OjuI/UA0iCMpqRzI/AAAAAAAAFpg/iJWi-Yu6R7U/s0/2012-07-17_11-41-20_821.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DFT0nD5OjuI/UA0iCMpqRzI/AAAAAAAAFpg/iJWi-Yu6R7U/s400/2012-07-17_11-41-20_821.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-B1C-mBAznMc/UA0iC-Y1PpI/AAAAAAAAFpo/BtyzoY0DFXU/s0/2012-07-17_12-15-44_235.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-B1C-mBAznMc/UA0iC-Y1PpI/AAAAAAAAFpo/BtyzoY0DFXU/s400/2012-07-17_12-15-44_235.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8w8vSUjaZWM/UA0iDgAPB7I/AAAAAAAAFpw/UED83K-Lakc/s0/2012-07-17_15-32-45_439.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8w8vSUjaZWM/UA0iDgAPB7I/AAAAAAAAFpw/UED83K-Lakc/s400/2012-07-17_15-32-45_439.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HK-sUUyXBrY/UA0iEt9AifI/AAAAAAAAFp4/xaKOULhQ4nQ/s0/2012-07-17_15-55-58_846.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HK-sUUyXBrY/UA0iEt9AifI/AAAAAAAAFp4/xaKOULhQ4nQ/s400/2012-07-17_15-55-58_846.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Xq-g5irQzk4/UA0iFbPepUI/AAAAAAAAFqA/WFHWiYo6pF4/s0/2012-07-17_15-56-15_489.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Xq-g5irQzk4/UA0iFbPepUI/AAAAAAAAFqA/WFHWiYo6pF4/s400/2012-07-17_15-56-15_489.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-X7A7TSx69cs/UA0iGOHkaOI/AAAAAAAAFqI/C4kCPwHUyic/s0/2012-07-17_16-09-47_392.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-X7A7TSx69cs/UA0iGOHkaOI/AAAAAAAAFqI/C4kCPwHUyic/s400/2012-07-17_16-09-47_392.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fytTVKNhiGk/UA0iHNuajvI/AAAAAAAAFqQ/HcaOJeGFekE/s0/2012-07-17_16-38-18_234.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fytTVKNhiGk/UA0iHNuajvI/AAAAAAAAFqQ/HcaOJeGFekE/s400/2012-07-17_16-38-18_234.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-801kdtfWSsI/UA0iHn8FICI/AAAAAAAAFqY/oD532BpOe2Q/s0/2012-07-17_16-09-36_954.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-801kdtfWSsI/UA0iHn8FICI/AAAAAAAAFqY/oD532BpOe2Q/s400/2012-07-17_16-09-36_954.jpg' /></a></p> <br/> <br/> <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-127-rainy-day-of-ups-and-downs-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-6779880227781081037Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:47:00 +00002012-07-17T06:47:07.207-07:00Day 126. A long, hot, sticky day over Killington and 500 miles to go!<b>Day 126. A long, hot, sticky day over Killington and 500 miles to go!</b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 16, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 126<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0427h @ Minerva Hinchey Shelter <br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1675.8 mile @ 0533h at Minerva Hinchey Shelter <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 4<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Wet from last night's pouring rain, humid, foggy, already warm at 5:30 am, 70s, foggy <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1699.2 mile @ @1922h at the trail to the Inn at Long Trail<br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 23.3 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>9<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b>5<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Humid, hot, very slight breeze, partly cloudy, hazy (I assume from the soot deposited from the Siberian fires). <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 3:25<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>on the floor of Blues and All Smile's room @ the Inn at Long Trail<br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> Inn "bed" at 2030h to chat with Blue and journal. Asleep at 2355h. <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $25 (dinner, two desserts, and a tip) <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> An even mixture of soft & smooth, rooty, and rocky. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Eye glasses were really fogging up in the morning. <br/> <li> My Droid's earphone jack is not making good connection with my headset. Can you say, "under warrantee"? <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 10 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 5 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 40 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 1 (a brook inn the Hurricane Irene washout, and earlier a cool suspension bridge over the Clarendon Gorge!) <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 2 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 1.3<br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 3<br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 6 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 18 <br> <br/> <b> Bonus Stat #1: Number of times my feet slipped on the wet rocks and roots: </b> 37 <br> <br/> <b> Bonus Stat #2: Number of the above slips that almost turned into major, face-planting falls:</b> 7 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 1. On the section of trail damaged by Hurricane Irene, there was a narrow and steep reroute on soft dirt. As I slipped and feel to the ground, the tip of my hiking pole became lodged under a root. So as I an falling the pole is bending into an arc, storing potential energy like a spring. When I hit the ground, I let go of the pole and the energy is released, sending it flying through the air, spinning like a javelin thrown from one of its ends. It hurdles end over end and lands, undamaged, about 25 feet away. If I had been wearing wrist straps, like most hikers do, the pole would have bent permanently or become broken. As it were, my hiking pole showed no sign of damage. I've been so very impressed with my Black Diamond Trail Ergo Corks! <br/> <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 1 (at the Inn) <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Right as Rain - Adele <br/> <li> The Day You Came - ABBA <br/> <li> Slip Sliding Away - Simon & Garfunkle <br/> <li> I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) -The Proclaimers <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> The family went to the pool and then cooked together in the kitchen. Kathleen and Archer made homemade bread. Kathleen and Josie made vegan apple cobbler (Josie was less than thrilled that the ingredients would be healthy. She told me that I was lucky because I could eat trail food!) They had a feast of that and baked ziti and sent me pictures of the food to tease me! (I are well tonight, too!) <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Lorax. Snake Eyes (SOBO). Aqua (SOBO). Slippy (SOBO). Tortoise Chef (now going SOBO back to NY). At the Inn: Blues (formerly Blues Clues), All Smiles, Wiffleball, Hawk, Gumpy, Peeper. I slept on the floor of Blues and All Smiles' room. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> I needed an inexpensive place to stay that had electricity so I could charge my phone, battery, and PEG. I could have walked another couple of miles to the State Park, but there was no guarantee of finding power and certainly it want going to be at my hammock site. So I decided to walk past the Inn at Long Trail first and see if anyone wanted to split the cost of a room with me. A big group of my friends were there and when I asked if roommates were needed, All Smiles and Blues didn't hesitate and said I could crash on their floor. The AT just takes care of you! And I was able to charge my phone and eat a great meal! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Burch, hemlock, cedar, birch, ferns, moss <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Chipmunks, red squirrel <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> The view of the Rutledge Airport in the morning. There were glimpses of surrounding mountains as I climbed Killington, but the surrounding trees and haze was to thick to really see anything. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> The Clarendon Rock Gorge. I liked the Clarendon Shelter and would love to come back there with the family. Killington Mountain. The Inn at Long Trail. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> My body continues to respond, much like a car would when the driver depresses the gas pedal. I feel great, and, aside from sore and stuff legs and feet, I feel fantastic. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> I'm also feeling great mentally. Very positive and confident. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> For the first time on this journey it was warm enough in the shelter last night that I slept without my shirt on. <br/> <li> After last night's long, drenching rain, the rocks, roots, and rock slabs are extraordinarily slippery this morning. In the first couple of miles of today's hike I've slipped a dozen times and have nearly fallen four. If I don't fall sometime today it will be a miracle! <br/> <li> The Clarendon Gorge area was beautiful as was the campsite there! I'd like to return with family, but it will be packed with people on the weekend due to its closer proximity to the road. <br/> <li> I'm disappointed that I didn't make it to the Clarendon Shelter yesterday. It is a beautiful location, the shelter is roomy and comfortable, and several of my friends, including No Trace and Unbreakable, stayed here last night. However, this morning's hike over the slippery rocks would have been worse in the rain. It is what it is. <br/> <li> I cooked breakfast in the Clarendon Shelter and allowed my clothes to dry and my muscles to rest. The humidity is something else! I'm soaked from head to toe and my glasses are worthless as there's a perpetual fog on the lenses. Only four miles in and already I'm drenched and tired. It's going to be a long day! <br/> <li> On advice from a SOBO thru-hiker, I did not take the detour around the damage brought on by Hurricane Irene, but rather took the original path. <br/> <li> I was delighted to see the "Katahdin 500 miles" sign. Do I dare start thinking that the hike is almost over? 500 miles is still a long way to go. (Molly's sabbatical hike was just a little longer!) But I can't help feeling like a senior in high school during the last weeks of school, and I know the days and miles are going to zoom by from now on. (Incidentally, you won't see the sign and corresponding log book if you take the hurricane detour path.) <br/> <li> The destruction from Hurricane Irene was impressive. Large numbers of massive trees, especially adjacent to rivers and streams, were toppled like a child would his Lincoln Logs. No wonder so many people quit the Trail last year after the hurricane came through. It must have been terrifying to have been on the Trail at that time. I remember thinking just that last year as I watched weather reports. <br/> <li> The bridge was out over the river on the detoured section of the AT, but some industrious hikers had fashioned a bridge with an old ladder and downed timber. <br/> <li> Everything I'm wearing is soaking wet with sweat and humidity. <br/> <li> At the Governor Clement Shelter I was so hot and sticky that I washed my shirt in the creek and then laid it and my pants on the asphalt singled roof to dry while I ate lunch in my underwear. Fortunately, no one stopped my while I was here in my skivies. <br/> <li> Above 3,500 feet on Mt Killington, I stood still and allowed a cool, dry breeze to wash over me. At this elevation and above the temperature and humidity were much lower than in the valley and I closed my eyes and soaked in the refreshing mountain air! Unfortunately the mountain didn't rise much higher and the Trail didn't linger long at the top, so the reprieve was short-lived. <br/> <li> AWOL's book was wrong on mileage. The climb up a Killington was mercifully 2 miles shorter than he listed in his book. <br/> <li> On the long downhill to the road, I got decent cell strength and decided to phone my buddies Everett and Molly. I went to high school and college with Ev. He was and remains my best friend, and he had posted my map on Facebook giving me a shout out. I was happy that I had a chance to reconnect with him! <br/> <li> I heard from Reed that Molly, my friend and colleague, had successfully completed her long hike of the El Camino del Santiago (Jacob's Way) in France and Spain. So I phoned her, too, and was delighted to compare notes of our two adventures. On the surface the two hikes appear vastly different, but as we talked it was apparent that there were many more themes and experiences common to both. I was great chatting with Molly, and I look forward to talking in more depth when I see her in the fall. <br/> <li> The Long Trail split from the AT near the end of today's hike. I'll miss seeing the LT hikers. <br/> <li> At the end of today's hike, I calculate that I have climbed - at least - the equivalent to 7.14 Mt Everest summits! By the time I reach Katahdin, I, and all other end-to-enders, will have done the equivalent of 10.06 Everests! There's a lot of hard climbing in the days ahead! <br/> <li> I am proud of my effort to get back on track. Today was a long, hard day, but is probably the last big mile day I'll do until I hit the 100 Mile Wilderness in Maine. <br/> <li> The Inn at Long Trail was a great experience. Hiker friendly, rustic and interesting decor, beautiful surroundings, with a fun pub serving good food and fun Irish music. I highly recommend it! If you can get three people to join you, the room only costs $25 per person and breakfast is included. I highly recommend it! Also there was one of the friendliest and hardest working bartender/waiter/cashier/busboy/clerk I've ever seen! <br/> <li> I learned today that Gumpy is Peeper's father. They've been hiking the big mountains of the northeast since she was 13, and when Peeper announced that she decided to thru-hike the AT in between college and graduate school, Gumpy asked if he could come along. They've had a great time together. Incidentally, Peeper had been living in Pascagoula, MS for the past three years and will attend grad school in Scotland in the girls of Sustainable Resource Management. I thought their's was a great story. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I now take breaks every 2.5-3.0 hours. I recall even I started in Georgia I took them every 30 minutes our so. <br/> <li> I don't wear the wrist straps with my hiking poles. In fact, I removed then before beginning. I find that my arm/hand strength is enough to hold onto the pole when needed (and those muscles are more developed than if I were relying on the straps). Also, if a pole becomes lodged in a rock or under a root while I'm walking quickly or as I slip and fall, I can simply and quickly let go of the pole ensuring it won't be damaged. See above. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> So I hiked 24 miles today and still the nPower PEG's LED was red, so I doubt that it was charging as I walked. That unit was discharged over a 30-minute time period and I was not able to get it to charge via kinetic methods. However, at my friend, Reed's, house I was repeatedly able to get the unit to recharge after draining the PEG for only a few seconds. So a couple of seconds of discharging and the unit works great, but when upped to 30 minutes of discharging the unit did not function properly. So tonight at the Inn I charged the PEG to blinking via the USB cable and then discharged it into my phone for precisely 1 minute 42 seconds (when the LED stopped blinking). Tomorrow I hope to walk the unit back to blinking green and then increase the discharge time until it can no longer be brought back. One other note: I was waiting for the PEG to complete its charge cycle with the USB cable when it went to blinking green. So I grabbed my phone, which was next in line to be charged, but in the few moments that that required, the PEG's LED switched back to solid green. Thinking this odd, I unplugged the PEG from the wall and pressed the button, at which point the LED showed blinking green. Just wanted to report this odd behavior. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Jybt0mStr70/UAVsTvpJaNI/AAAAAAAAFkU/9H6tWyHvwd0/s0/2012-07-16_06-35-53_867.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Jybt0mStr70/UAVsTvpJaNI/AAAAAAAAFkU/9H6tWyHvwd0/s400/2012-07-16_06-35-53_867.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zEbV5TARPpI/UAVsUomZggI/AAAAAAAAFkc/jX-OYEb5E4A/s0/2012-07-16_06-36-28_718.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zEbV5TARPpI/UAVsUomZggI/AAAAAAAAFkc/jX-OYEb5E4A/s400/2012-07-16_06-36-28_718.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PtKb4v-alJA/UAVsVaDbHXI/AAAAAAAAFkk/q5EI2FPkVyE/s0/2012-07-16_07-08-39_811.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PtKb4v-alJA/UAVsVaDbHXI/AAAAAAAAFkk/q5EI2FPkVyE/s400/2012-07-16_07-08-39_811.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-87YtSFjg9LU/UAVsWWYRDsI/AAAAAAAAFks/xaYP38WkVr4/s0/2012-07-16_07-09-11_401.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-87YtSFjg9LU/UAVsWWYRDsI/AAAAAAAAFks/xaYP38WkVr4/s400/2012-07-16_07-09-11_401.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-K1vzMQINnmg/UAVsXKP7LLI/AAAAAAAAFk0/x16pU54wVY4/s0/2012-07-16_07-09-22_433.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-K1vzMQINnmg/UAVsXKP7LLI/AAAAAAAAFk0/x16pU54wVY4/s400/2012-07-16_07-09-22_433.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kugrxJwt9oI/UAVsYjtK4yI/AAAAAAAAFk8/m3HBhJHLnPE/s0/2012-07-16_07-10-02_656.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kugrxJwt9oI/UAVsYjtK4yI/AAAAAAAAFk8/m3HBhJHLnPE/s400/2012-07-16_07-10-02_656.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Le-WoINBpTk/UAVsahY4xPI/AAAAAAAAFlE/vmh0Bs1qkU8/s0/2012-07-16_07-54-18_326.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Le-WoINBpTk/UAVsahY4xPI/AAAAAAAAFlE/vmh0Bs1qkU8/s400/2012-07-16_07-54-18_326.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JfHNXFgLkCE/UAVsb8PWEOI/AAAAAAAAFlM/uqsfq90-0dE/s0/2012-07-16_07-55-00_803.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JfHNXFgLkCE/UAVsb8PWEOI/AAAAAAAAFlM/uqsfq90-0dE/s400/2012-07-16_07-55-00_803.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-K-DVrkn8f9I/UAVsdSBSYYI/AAAAAAAAFlU/uWDQ4_Inu7M/s0/2012-07-16_08-29-38_108.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-K-DVrkn8f9I/UAVsdSBSYYI/AAAAAAAAFlU/uWDQ4_Inu7M/s400/2012-07-16_08-29-38_108.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VfNYmygMAmI/UAVseGCUhYI/AAAAAAAAFlc/UlhLD5Xwebg/s0/2012-07-16_11-02-13_310.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VfNYmygMAmI/UAVseGCUhYI/AAAAAAAAFlc/UlhLD5Xwebg/s400/2012-07-16_11-02-13_310.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dh5i6rCF1c4/UAVsfWjhUcI/AAAAAAAAFlk/9cjopU32bxQ/s0/2012-07-16_11-03-46_715.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dh5i6rCF1c4/UAVsfWjhUcI/AAAAAAAAFlk/9cjopU32bxQ/s400/2012-07-16_11-03-46_715.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-juFwd2MNWXQ/UAVsfy5Pu2I/AAAAAAAAFls/uNVdvlMHSF4/s0/2012-07-16_11-22-43_114.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-juFwd2MNWXQ/UAVsfy5Pu2I/AAAAAAAAFls/uNVdvlMHSF4/s400/2012-07-16_11-22-43_114.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3Aglj6yHXj0/UAVsg0JoIJI/AAAAAAAAFl0/ip8-o64FVZ4/s0/2012-07-16_11-47-14_214.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3Aglj6yHXj0/UAVsg0JoIJI/AAAAAAAAFl0/ip8-o64FVZ4/s400/2012-07-16_11-47-14_214.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ptEGNCZYIfg/UAVshiSQHkI/AAAAAAAAFl8/9w-FUbTXN40/s0/2012-07-16_12-04-04_377.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ptEGNCZYIfg/UAVshiSQHkI/AAAAAAAAFl8/9w-FUbTXN40/s400/2012-07-16_12-04-04_377.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bFxCakINURs/UAVskh_rkdI/AAAAAAAAFmE/hPr2Qmvl5WE/s0/2012-07-16_12-04-14_307.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-bFxCakINURs/UAVskh_rkdI/AAAAAAAAFmE/hPr2Qmvl5WE/s400/2012-07-16_12-04-14_307.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rmwOLd-HOqM/UAVsllaiiUI/AAAAAAAAFmM/GG0RatlITZ0/s0/2012-07-16_12-06-29_259.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-rmwOLd-HOqM/UAVsllaiiUI/AAAAAAAAFmM/GG0RatlITZ0/s400/2012-07-16_12-06-29_259.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tOacUrHj-JY/UAVsnYmDlEI/AAAAAAAAFmc/-mofpjxxfCg/s0/2012-07-16_12-06-56_700.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tOacUrHj-JY/UAVsnYmDlEI/AAAAAAAAFmc/-mofpjxxfCg/s400/2012-07-16_12-06-56_700.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IOifqYbK5aw/UAVsmjR41vI/AAAAAAAAFmU/lI50lGeKaEE/s0/2012-07-16_14-34-19_562.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IOifqYbK5aw/UAVsmjR41vI/AAAAAAAAFmU/lI50lGeKaEE/s400/2012-07-16_14-34-19_562.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-j7H_zEhHpGk/UAVspbmnTUI/AAAAAAAAFms/oE-5r8wlAM0/s0/2012-07-16_15-32-04_568.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-j7H_zEhHpGk/UAVspbmnTUI/AAAAAAAAFms/oE-5r8wlAM0/s400/2012-07-16_15-32-04_568.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iThap-nwDEg/UAVsoRKLFmI/AAAAAAAAFmk/sDCtdpM5sG0/s0/2012-07-16_15-33-52_999.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iThap-nwDEg/UAVsoRKLFmI/AAAAAAAAFmk/sDCtdpM5sG0/s400/2012-07-16_15-33-52_999.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BUyo4bdIYU8/UAVsrm0JGhI/AAAAAAAAFm8/kLjp8s6MX5A/s0/2012-07-16_15-39-40_594.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BUyo4bdIYU8/UAVsrm0JGhI/AAAAAAAAFm8/kLjp8s6MX5A/s400/2012-07-16_15-39-40_594.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RMxG3JXT0-4/UAVsqX3DizI/AAAAAAAAFm0/nz7Qt13SKjg/s0/2012-07-16_15-38-48_14.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RMxG3JXT0-4/UAVsqX3DizI/AAAAAAAAFm0/nz7Qt13SKjg/s400/2012-07-16_15-38-48_14.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZQOL_hbrxJk/UAVstSRZ1iI/AAAAAAAAFnM/EYDQaQx5e3o/s0/2012-07-16_15-53-00_173.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZQOL_hbrxJk/UAVstSRZ1iI/AAAAAAAAFnM/EYDQaQx5e3o/s400/2012-07-16_15-53-00_173.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UkH6GYlkmjk/UAVssrLvudI/AAAAAAAAFnE/OJkwpaUjh8U/s0/2012-07-16_16-51-50_110.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UkH6GYlkmjk/UAVssrLvudI/AAAAAAAAFnE/OJkwpaUjh8U/s400/2012-07-16_16-51-50_110.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VYNUXHBECqw/UAVsvxsKmrI/AAAAAAAAFnc/MFxGcOa_cXM/s0/2012-07-16_17-50-24_221.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VYNUXHBECqw/UAVsvxsKmrI/AAAAAAAAFnc/MFxGcOa_cXM/s400/2012-07-16_17-50-24_221.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sBIfbAJVlvQ/UAVsun9-ZtI/AAAAAAAAFnU/A6Bl5fnP9TQ/s0/2012-07-16_17-59-55_40.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sBIfbAJVlvQ/UAVsun9-ZtI/AAAAAAAAFnU/A6Bl5fnP9TQ/s400/2012-07-16_17-59-55_40.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cI_NvMC8A4A/UAVsxohjmOI/AAAAAAAAFns/l4C7ikFllrU/s0/2012-07-16_18-03-00_11.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cI_NvMC8A4A/UAVsxohjmOI/AAAAAAAAFns/l4C7ikFllrU/s400/2012-07-16_18-03-00_11.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_REiY7uroSo/UAVswWFXDfI/AAAAAAAAFnk/SBVoHpdpcls/s0/2012-07-16_19-22-57_674.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_REiY7uroSo/UAVswWFXDfI/AAAAAAAAFnk/SBVoHpdpcls/s400/2012-07-16_19-22-57_674.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nuo8uDRs9hQ/UAVszPBN3PI/AAAAAAAAFn8/UdLlLPj-o8M/s0/2012-07-16_19-33-50_196.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nuo8uDRs9hQ/UAVszPBN3PI/AAAAAAAAFn8/UdLlLPj-o8M/s400/2012-07-16_19-33-50_196.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LBexIQn43WA/UAVsyZVsaJI/AAAAAAAAFn0/pYit1WyleU4/s0/2012-07-16_19-33-29_413.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LBexIQn43WA/UAVsyZVsaJI/AAAAAAAAFn0/pYit1WyleU4/s400/2012-07-16_19-33-29_413.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-W1oZ_KQzt9Y/UAVs0mMaKjI/AAAAAAAAFoM/4DUEx43-pXY/s0/2012-07-16_20-39-16_75.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-W1oZ_KQzt9Y/UAVs0mMaKjI/AAAAAAAAFoM/4DUEx43-pXY/s400/2012-07-16_20-39-16_75.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/--u3JZCkvp_o/UAVsz2PQQuI/AAAAAAAAFoE/AVikoyQs_vo/s0/2012-07-16_20-39-39_964.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/--u3JZCkvp_o/UAVsz2PQQuI/AAAAAAAAFoE/AVikoyQs_vo/s400/2012-07-16_20-39-39_964.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WB63aXoVuY8/UAVs1pXx1YI/AAAAAAAAFoU/JH5IPxE7DA0/s0/2012-07-16_20-42-17_985.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WB63aXoVuY8/UAVs1pXx1YI/AAAAAAAAFoU/JH5IPxE7DA0/s400/2012-07-16_20-42-17_985.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vi3IejZtVGk/UAVs2OLNWoI/AAAAAAAAFoc/gCid91iUAkI/s0/IMG955173.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vi3IejZtVGk/UAVs2OLNWoI/AAAAAAAAFoc/gCid91iUAkI/s400/IMG955173.jpg' /></a></p><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-126-long-hot-sticky-day-over.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-3688641792896210947Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:34:00 +00002012-07-17T06:34:53.610-07:00Day 125. Another fine day in Vermont<b>Day 125. Another fine day in Vermont </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 15, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 125<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0540h @ Lost Pond Shelter<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1660.9 mile @ 0728h at Lost Pond Shelter <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Cloudy, cool, calm, upper 60s. It quickly reached into the 80's and became very humid. Rain is expected today. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1675.8 mile @ 1605h at Minerva Hinchey Shelter <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 15.3 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b> <br/> 8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Warm, mid to upper 80s, very humid, rain in the evening. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 1:50<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b> Shelter floor <br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> In the bed at 1945h to journal. Asleep at 2100h<br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $0 <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> The term, "smooth as glass" has come to mind once or twice today. There were some rocky places, but generally it was a fast trail today. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> None <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 10 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 15 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 43 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 1 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 1 (Bear Mtn)<br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 1 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 13<br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 0<br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Food, Glorious Food - from the musical, "Oliver!" <br/> <li> Brandy - Looking Glass <br/> <li> Here Comes the Rain Again - The Eurythmatics <br/> <li> Right as Rain - Adele <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Unknown <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> The AMC group from yesterday. A number of Long Trail thru-hikers. At the shelter tonight: Badger, Flint, and Cow Tail. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Three slices of pizza from the VYCC! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Cedar, hemlock, birch, ferns <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Fish and salamander <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> None (but I didn't take the side trail to White Rocks Cliff) <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Little Rock Pond was beautiful and another good place to swim. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> I'm feeling great once again! My body isn't sluggish any more and I've been able to really move over the mountains. My knees and feet are feeling great. Because today has been so hot and humid, however, my clothes are soaked and I'm bringing to chafe. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> I'm also feeling great mentally. I'm really enjoying the Trail once again. It's fun again, I think in large part to entering Vermont. Ever since the middle if Virginia the AT has been more of an urban trail than a wilderness one. But upon entering this wild and beautiful state I feel that I'm back in the woods. Woods surrounded by woods. Not woods that meander between urban centers. This is what I was bargaining for and haven't seen it since leaving the Deep South. I feel more connected to the land now and less distracted by the allure of all the things towns can provide. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Because I stopped earlier than planned, I have a big, 20-mile day ahead of me. <br/> <li> For much of the morning, the hike was along a river and babbling brooks - awesome! <br/> <li> JP, the caretaker at Little Rock Pond and 2010 thru-hiker, is a nice guy and is also responsible for doing trail maintenance. Today he was clearing a downed tree and as we walked together he eased my mind about staying and eating in the huts within the Whites. <br/> <li> The Trail up to White Rock Cliffs was not very difficult and it was beautiful. Lined with a dense forest of conifers and birch, it looked and smelled lovely. <br/> <li> When I arrived at the Minerva Hinchey Shelter, it was occupied by a group of young people of the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, or VYCC. They are from all over the country and have come to Vermont to do trail maintenance for about two months. Their take-home pay is $300, and food is provided. I guess they had eaten enough today because they gave me three large pieces of pizza. Wonderful Trail Magic - the pizza and the maintenance! <br/> <li> Just as I was leaving the Minerva Hinchey Shelter the sky opened up and I saw rain for the first time since New Jersey. The forecast the last time I saw it was calling for scattered showers so I stepped back into the shelter to wait it out, or at last see if it would soon quit. <br/> <li> It turned out that it trained steadily so I cooked my dinner early, in case it stopped and I could move on another four miles to the next shelter. After dinner I decided that I'd push on despite the rain. After all, "No rain, no Maine!" So I head out about 6:30 in the evening, in the rain with my the chafed hips screaming their objection. I'm not gone ten minutes when I get a bad feeling about leaving the shelter and turn around. Despite having to now hike 24 miles tomorrow (rather than the 20 I had originally planned), I was glad I did turn around because I realized that I was on the wrong trail (recall that junctions on the AT in Vermont are not well-marked), and who knows how long I would have continued down the wrong path. <br/> <li> Perhaps the bag feeling I had was that my mother's aunt had passed away. After turning around I turned on my phone and immediately Mom called to give me the news. Aunt Robbie was a wonderful Southern Lady who traveled the world with her husband, Tom, as missionaries. She was as funny as anyone I ever met. In fact, her entire family is hilarious; I always assumed a good sense of humor was a trait of the Beall clan. I will miss hearing her funny stories almost as much as I will miss hearing her laugh at them in spite of herself. Tom, Carol, David, Carol Ann, and Amy, my thoughts are with you! <br/> <li> So I made it an early night knowing that I'll have to be up at the crack of dawn to get my miles in tomorrow. It will be nice to get to bed early and catch up on my sleep. Tomorrow, I plan on camping at the Gifford Woods State Park or, if I can find someone to share a room with me, I may stay at the Inn at Long Trail, which I hear is awesome. Regardless, I'll have to get up and over Killington Mtn - a 2,500-foot climb - before I can even think about where I'll stay tomorrow. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Just walk in the rain! It ain't gonna kill ya! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> I arrived at the shelter and the nPower PEG was still solid green. But because my phone's battery was low and because I was fairly certain I'd have power tomorrow night, I fully discharged the PEG into my phone. In 1:18 the PEG's LED was red, taking my phone from 30% to 71%. This seems that the PEG was not charging as I walked. Yesterday I discharged the phone for 0:30, so I doubt that I added any charge since the total discharge time was only I:50. Tomorrow I will test to see if I can walk the PEG from red to green. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eFaDRIG0HIg/UAVpt6rqKKI/AAAAAAAAFh8/FpD0PCaqxpo/s0/2012-07-15_08-15-04_424.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eFaDRIG0HIg/UAVpt6rqKKI/AAAAAAAAFh8/FpD0PCaqxpo/s400/2012-07-15_08-15-04_424.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lj7eITe2UEo/UAVpumV1GzI/AAAAAAAAFiE/7VJyfjCcFPY/s0/2012-07-15_08-20-37_209.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lj7eITe2UEo/UAVpumV1GzI/AAAAAAAAFiE/7VJyfjCcFPY/s400/2012-07-15_08-20-37_209.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jJiYdjfTUD4/UAVpv8PFRkI/AAAAAAAAFiM/f-Viwj1DNyw/s0/2012-07-15_08-53-32_851.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jJiYdjfTUD4/UAVpv8PFRkI/AAAAAAAAFiM/f-Viwj1DNyw/s400/2012-07-15_08-53-32_851.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xEd2V_oxbQU/UAVpxiwI0YI/AAAAAAAAFiU/tbkcV-e9tfI/s0/2012-07-15_09-14-58_461.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xEd2V_oxbQU/UAVpxiwI0YI/AAAAAAAAFiU/tbkcV-e9tfI/s400/2012-07-15_09-14-58_461.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NrnILLzX1H0/UAVpylvfeYI/AAAAAAAAFic/MFQ003b45ds/s0/2012-07-15_09-47-27_694.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NrnILLzX1H0/UAVpylvfeYI/AAAAAAAAFic/MFQ003b45ds/s400/2012-07-15_09-47-27_694.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Z-qJIo1mBiE/UAVpzdrZ7PI/AAAAAAAAFik/wrYmYoVhbMs/s0/2012-07-15_09-48-04_543.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Z-qJIo1mBiE/UAVpzdrZ7PI/AAAAAAAAFik/wrYmYoVhbMs/s400/2012-07-15_09-48-04_543.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9b-qpmu5c7k/UAVp0EtZRBI/AAAAAAAAFis/0M8G2-Gdno4/s0/2012-07-15_09-48-17_174.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9b-qpmu5c7k/UAVp0EtZRBI/AAAAAAAAFis/0M8G2-Gdno4/s400/2012-07-15_09-48-17_174.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RcmhwzOC-dQ/UAVp0luJXoI/AAAAAAAAFi0/0DSbIQGuFjI/s0/2012-07-15_09-48-39_164.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RcmhwzOC-dQ/UAVp0luJXoI/AAAAAAAAFi0/0DSbIQGuFjI/s400/2012-07-15_09-48-39_164.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZAAPC4qpxHk/UAVp1vImOmI/AAAAAAAAFi8/WgE6X4Rv2_I/s0/2012-07-15_09-50-37_991.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZAAPC4qpxHk/UAVp1vImOmI/AAAAAAAAFi8/WgE6X4Rv2_I/s400/2012-07-15_09-50-37_991.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9cJLiRAk3cs/UAVp2ggVgaI/AAAAAAAAFjE/W3ma07DKmeI/s0/2012-07-15_09-49-44_804.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9cJLiRAk3cs/UAVp2ggVgaI/AAAAAAAAFjE/W3ma07DKmeI/s400/2012-07-15_09-49-44_804.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gyt17jEkpPA/UAVp3penfTI/AAAAAAAAFjM/wPt-J0BAfco/s0/2012-07-15_10-36-18_735.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gyt17jEkpPA/UAVp3penfTI/AAAAAAAAFjM/wPt-J0BAfco/s400/2012-07-15_10-36-18_735.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-C_BxCEfL_iY/UAVp4v77qUI/AAAAAAAAFjU/dON-QTsehjE/s0/2012-07-15_10-47-03_580.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-C_BxCEfL_iY/UAVp4v77qUI/AAAAAAAAFjU/dON-QTsehjE/s400/2012-07-15_10-47-03_580.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-law6u_6dI0s/UAVp5t36NII/AAAAAAAAFjc/wFvQknVAChs/s0/2012-07-15_11-21-36_517.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-law6u_6dI0s/UAVp5t36NII/AAAAAAAAFjc/wFvQknVAChs/s400/2012-07-15_11-21-36_517.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xlGnyGX7LRM/UAVp6H7YVzI/AAAAAAAAFjk/wVjleddLONo/s0/2012-07-15_11-44-06_739.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xlGnyGX7LRM/UAVp6H7YVzI/AAAAAAAAFjk/wVjleddLONo/s400/2012-07-15_11-44-06_739.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9dfqahV1fN8/UAVp7PfLCdI/AAAAAAAAFjs/1m-R4BSEe_w/s0/2012-07-15_12-12-51_803.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9dfqahV1fN8/UAVp7PfLCdI/AAAAAAAAFjs/1m-R4BSEe_w/s400/2012-07-15_12-12-51_803.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-koPc0jGf4bk/UAVp7yBHpCI/AAAAAAAAFj0/2CoP0geww_Y/s0/2012-07-15_12-14-37_720.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-koPc0jGf4bk/UAVp7yBHpCI/AAAAAAAAFj0/2CoP0geww_Y/s400/2012-07-15_12-14-37_720.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YcOb20sUkhs/UAVp-Ed90OI/AAAAAAAAFkE/0N7bOdfEDqw/s0/2012-07-15_12-46-26_523.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YcOb20sUkhs/UAVp-Ed90OI/AAAAAAAAFkE/0N7bOdfEDqw/s400/2012-07-15_12-46-26_523.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FE4szZdQ_KA/UAVp8xQODTI/AAAAAAAAFj8/KG3bVj3tuJ4/s0/2012-07-15_14-33-30_878.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FE4szZdQ_KA/UAVp8xQODTI/AAAAAAAAFj8/KG3bVj3tuJ4/s400/2012-07-15_14-33-30_878.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aUSK_DO99IE/UAVp-yakAkI/AAAAAAAAFkM/tlUmB_em4pU/s0/2012-07-15_16-31-39_877.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aUSK_DO99IE/UAVp-yakAkI/AAAAAAAAFkM/tlUmB_em4pU/s400/2012-07-15_16-31-39_877.jpg' /></a></p><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-125-another-fine-day-in-vermont.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-869161033745083684Tue, 17 Jul 2012 13:20:00 +00002012-07-17T06:20:58.669-07:00Northbound into familiar territory while having fun! <b>Day 124. Northbound into familiar territory while having fun! </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> July 14, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 124<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0529h @ Reed's to blog<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1646.1 mile @ 0859h at VT 11 & 30 near Manchester Center<br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b> 7<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Warm, hazy, humid, calm, mid to upper 70s <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1660.9 mile @ 1843h at Lost Pond Shelter <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 15.0 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>9<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 3<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Partly cloudy, humid, warm, calm (but breezy on the mountain tops), upper 70s to lower 80s <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 2:53<br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b>hammock @ the shelter area<br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> 2115h to journal. Asleep by 2215h. <br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $0 <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Mostly smooth, but somewhat rocky on the inclines. A pretty fast day. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> My water filter is pumping much more easily after I ran it through Reed's dishwasher. (I made sure to lubricate the O-ring afterwards.) <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 8 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 8 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 46 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 4, including Bromley, Styles, Peru, and Baker<br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 4 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 15 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 1 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Here with Me - Dido <br/> <li> The Year of the Cat - Al Stewart <br/> <li> John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt - An old Scout song <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Unknown <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> A group of AMC members out for a weekend hike. Badger, who reminds me a ton of Reed - same voice, looks, mannerisms. Uncanny! And he uses a collapsible keyboard with his iPod even blogging. Yoda. All of the above except for Yoda were at the shelter area tonight. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Because I helped the ladies of AMC group pump water from the well by the Forest Service road, the hike leader game me two grapes. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> Cedar, birch, hemlock, lush moss and ferns. A tree fungus that looked like the Sorting Hat in the Harry Potter movies. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> A mother grouse who waited until I was adjacent to her nest before bursting through the shrubs and giving me a heart attack. Salamanders and fish in Griffith Lake. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> Bromley and Baker were both magnificent! Styles was ok. It was unfortunately hazy today, so the visibility was poor. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Bromley Mtn ski resort: I rode the ski lift down the mountain where I saw water slides, sledding down concrete ramps, etc. Griffith Lake was a great place to swim! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> I'm feeling good. Knees a little sore but that's nothing new! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> I'm feeling positive and confident. I was happy to have been given advice about specific huts and the trail to them by experts from the AMC. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I was sad to leave Reed's for I know I will miss his companionship and hospitality, but I am exited to be back on the Trail. In less than a week I'll be in a new state and will see my Dad and brother, Gy, and this gives me something else to look forward to. <br/> <li> I'm exited that I'll hike past Griffith Lake and Peru Peak because when the kids were very young we all took 3-day hike to this area and had a wonderful time. One night we slept in the shelter and covered with thru-hikers, and the second night we rented by the lake. Well, on our second night out, it poured and poor Kathleen, who was already feeling claustrophobic in the small tent, spent most of the night with her head poking out of the tent so she could breathe. Good times! <br/> <li> At the top of Bromley Mtn I should be able to see five states if the the sky is clear. Apparently Siberia is on fire and the smoke and soot is settling here, obscuring my view. I was able to see peaks of VT, NH, NY, and MA today. <br/> <li> Also at the summit was a ski lift that was running. If I were more daring and had more time if be tempted to ride if round trip. Actually, I did just that! An attendant was there and we chatted a bit, and I decided that I wasn't having enough fun, so I hopped on and rode the lift down to the bottom and back up again. Frivolous but memorable. Add Coach Duke used to say, "All work and no play makes Jack and Jill a dull boy!" It would have been more fun if I had a companion, but the ride was nice and making the effortless climb down and up was immensely satisfying! <br/> <li> Peru Peak Shelter hadn't changed and brought back a flood of fond memories. What a beautiful place! I enjoyed eating my second lunch here. It just dawned on me that thus was the first shelter I ever slept in. I'm happy it was with Kathleen, Archer, and Josie! <br/> <li> Griffith Lake was beautiful, and was just add I remembered it. I wanted to go for a swim, but thought better of it and began hiking north. Then I thought about the ski lift and the need to make memories, so I made an about face and went for a quick, refreshing swim. It felt great, but want the same without Archer and Josie swimming around me and through my legs like they did when we were here so long ago. <br/> <li> Baker Mtn was a shirt and step climb but well worth it for the views. I suggest taking pictures before reaching the top, for the views are better on the was up. <br/> <li> I stopped a couple of miles short of my goal for the day for a couple of reasons. One, I was enjoying the company of the AMC members. And two, we are now in AMC territory and they have the practice of placing caretakers at various, well-used sites and charging hikers to camp the night. I've been traveling over 1,600 miles and have never paid to sleep in the woods, and the AMC's practice aggravates me (and most other thru-hikers). <br/> <li> The Lost Pond Shelter, which is where I'm sleeping tonight, has been burned by vandals twice in recent years. Reed helped build this shelter in the back yard of a Green Mountain Club leader. The shelter was then taken apart and piece by piece carried to this location. <br/> <li> The AMC hike leaders were helpful to me figuring out where I should stay and how each leg of the Whites would take me to navigate. <br/> <li> I had good voice and data signal on to of both Bromley and Baker peaks. There was not a good signal at the shelter. <br/> <li> I slept with my rain fly fire the first time since I don't know when. It's been a long time since I've seen rain! I also slept without my sleeping pad, which happens rarely. <br/> <li> I feel asleep listening to the soothing sounds of the creek below cascading loudly over the rocks. So nice! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Jewelweed (aka Touch Me Not) offers pretty good relief from mosquito bites. Apparently it relieves more than nettle irritation. <br/> <li> The AT in Vermont is gorgeous! But the blazes are a bit further apart than in other New England states. And at junctions, the blazes are often missing and one must consult a map or choose a path and look for blazes further down. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> I'm experimenting again. Yesterday I discovered that when the nPower PEG is discharged very briefly so it goes from blinking green to solid green, I was always able to bring it back to blinking green with just a few minutes of shaking. It has been my experience that when the PEG is discharged for a long amount of tine, say for over an hour, I've never been able to walk it back to blinking green. So I tried a 30-minute discharge today about 4 miles into my hike. Eleven miles later the light is still solid green. With luck, the LED will be blinking after tomorrow's long hike. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nGPPOIkFg0Q/UAVmcdXC_DI/AAAAAAAAFew/PhpGPGQ29WM/s0/2012-07-14_08-20-46_90.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nGPPOIkFg0Q/UAVmcdXC_DI/AAAAAAAAFew/PhpGPGQ29WM/s400/2012-07-14_08-20-46_90.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kU2J2muftVQ/UAVmdPljdUI/AAAAAAAAFe4/bIaYfvCZHEc/s0/2012-07-14_08-20-33_179.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kU2J2muftVQ/UAVmdPljdUI/AAAAAAAAFe4/bIaYfvCZHEc/s400/2012-07-14_08-20-33_179.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WogNKKWz4l0/UAVmd2oC05I/AAAAAAAAFfA/-OHAlu2ogi8/s0/2012-07-14_09-53-56_455.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WogNKKWz4l0/UAVmd2oC05I/AAAAAAAAFfA/-OHAlu2ogi8/s400/2012-07-14_09-53-56_455.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Gy7vExosLsI/UAVme1rLUUI/AAAAAAAAFfI/7H1o78EIDSU/s0/2012-07-14_10-05-00_933.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Gy7vExosLsI/UAVme1rLUUI/AAAAAAAAFfI/7H1o78EIDSU/s400/2012-07-14_10-05-00_933.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6nYF4HCPD88/UAVmfTWiqvI/AAAAAAAAFfQ/mttwjyTuW7M/s0/2012-07-14_10-31-52_994.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6nYF4HCPD88/UAVmfTWiqvI/AAAAAAAAFfQ/mttwjyTuW7M/s400/2012-07-14_10-31-52_994.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sipUOwxKtRc/UAVmgaQvsCI/AAAAAAAAFfY/ORJIrLhOVbQ/s0/2012-07-14_10-51-13_338.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sipUOwxKtRc/UAVmgaQvsCI/AAAAAAAAFfY/ORJIrLhOVbQ/s400/2012-07-14_10-51-13_338.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-X9rCheDsMoQ/UAVmhIh4TUI/AAAAAAAAFfg/HyyISlZVzGc/s0/2012-07-14_10-52-00_292.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-X9rCheDsMoQ/UAVmhIh4TUI/AAAAAAAAFfg/HyyISlZVzGc/s400/2012-07-14_10-52-00_292.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-N-CDxcw44hk/UAVmhow0daI/AAAAAAAAFfo/-FNdF3T4cZI/s0/2012-07-14_11-01-51_193.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-N-CDxcw44hk/UAVmhow0daI/AAAAAAAAFfo/-FNdF3T4cZI/s400/2012-07-14_11-01-51_193.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FRtN222Cx9c/UAVmiYfVr8I/AAAAAAAAFfw/6TOOMXifZbI/s0/2012-07-14_11-12-30_137.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FRtN222Cx9c/UAVmiYfVr8I/AAAAAAAAFfw/6TOOMXifZbI/s400/2012-07-14_11-12-30_137.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3V0kBEktHhM/UAVmjMLyBLI/AAAAAAAAFf4/ze8N76pb25k/s0/2012-07-14_11-13-03_948.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3V0kBEktHhM/UAVmjMLyBLI/AAAAAAAAFf4/ze8N76pb25k/s400/2012-07-14_11-13-03_948.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2kigefYepqo/UAVmjySxtqI/AAAAAAAAFgA/ld6pAb0n8zI/s0/2012-07-14_11-32-39_192.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2kigefYepqo/UAVmjySxtqI/AAAAAAAAFgA/ld6pAb0n8zI/s400/2012-07-14_11-32-39_192.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7pYjt0FWvJM/UAVmkphLxCI/AAAAAAAAFgI/t505FbnYpnc/s0/2012-07-14_13-04-48_831.jpg'><img 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src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8-d6mpVjgts/UAVmqn75VxI/AAAAAAAAFhA/Ic1y9AtjHcA/s400/2012-07-14_17-49-57_597.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-a56t7opbVb8/UAVmtMbhOII/AAAAAAAAFhY/rDG2E44hwq4/s0/2012-07-14_18-23-37_275.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-a56t7opbVb8/UAVmtMbhOII/AAAAAAAAFhY/rDG2E44hwq4/s400/2012-07-14_18-23-37_275.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cfNu6N_Oy7o/UAVmsZXeLhI/AAAAAAAAFhQ/X69xfukAHCQ/s0/2012-07-14_19-47-22_490.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cfNu6N_Oy7o/UAVmsZXeLhI/AAAAAAAAFhQ/X69xfukAHCQ/s400/2012-07-14_19-47-22_490.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-v-WrqJkcGJo/UAVmuNFGPCI/AAAAAAAAFhg/T0DnBay0qOk/s0/2012-07-14_19-47-39_300.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-v-WrqJkcGJo/UAVmuNFGPCI/AAAAAAAAFhg/T0DnBay0qOk/s400/2012-07-14_19-47-39_300.jpg' /></a></p><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/northbound-into-familiar-territory.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-5272457616549580063Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:57:00 +00002012-07-14T03:57:35.822-07:00Day 104-123 Synopsis (NY, CT, MA, & VT)Dear friends, family, and other readers of my blog: add you undoubtedly have realized I am the weeks behind in my blog posts. I've been doing 20-mile days on average and that means there's previous little time to post my blogs. This had weighed heavily on me, but I just can't keep up. I thought I would have time to catch up when I would get to town or a friend's house, but I've come to realize that there are just too many posts and not enough time. I have detailed notes of each day's activities and will publish them after the hike is over, but for now allow me to bring you quickly and briefly up to speed on what's happened during the last 300 miles: <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Day 104-123 Synopsis (NY, CT, MA, & VT)</b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> June 24 to July 13, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day numbers: </b>104-123<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> h @ <br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1368.0 mile @ 0626h at Wildcat Shelter <br> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1646.1 mile @ 0916h at VT 11 & 30 <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered: </b> 278 miles <br> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Generally smoother than what came before. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> My red shirt had become too tattered to wear, so I sent it home. <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> The kids went to academic camps. <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> I was hiking alone for a number of days, but was able to be slacked SOBO for a few days and reconnected with a number if old friends, including Rainbow, No Trace, and Untouchable! I've stayed with many friends including my family in PA, and my friends Kathy & Tom in CT, Kathy & Giselle in MA, and Reed in VT. I will see my father and brother, Gy, next week in NH. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> There was more Magic than I expected to find in the northeast. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> The conifers are becoming more numerous. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> The mosquitoes, deer flies, and black flies are becoming a daily nuisance. I saw another bear in Massachusetts with my friend Giselle. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> Some nice ones in MA and VT. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> I became ill with a stomach virus and went home for a few days to recover and see the family. It was my first zero in a month and I was run down. I recovered and feel good now. Some sharp knee pain came and went. My feet are perpetually swollen and sore. More than anything, I am battling fatigue now. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> I was hiking alone for a while and really missed seeing my thru-hiking friends. But I am nearly caught up with them again and don't feel so alone anymore. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I had WONDERFUL visits with my family and my friends Kathy & Tom in CT, Kathy & Giselle in MA, and Reed in VT. They all lifted my spirits, feed me copious amounts of delicious food, and treated me like a king. Kathy & Giselle and Reed spent several days driving me hither and yon so I could be slacked and thus did much to bolster my spirits and aid in my recovery from my illness. <br/> <li> I made it to CT, MA, and VT, each lovely states. <br/> <li> I wish I had time to write more, but I wanted to bring you all up to speed. I will try hard to keep up with my remaining posts so you can follow me to Katahdin. However, I'm back in the wild parts of the AT. Gone are the multiple road crossings each day, filled with delis and stores. So power and connectivity will be issues from now on. But I'll try to keep you all in the loop. Don't forget that you can follow my progress via my map. <br/> <li> I am still enjoying my hike, but I'm ready for it to be over. That is the general consensus among thru-hikers. <br/> <li> Thank you all for your support and understanding! I couldn't do this without you! <br/> <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-104-123-synopsis-ny-ct-ma-vt.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-2015450573840938400Sat, 14 Jul 2012 03:17:00 +00002012-07-13T20:17:25.946-07:00Day 103. A perfect day with Ozzy and Chris - and then the Wildcat Shelter<b>Day 103. A perfect day with Ozzy and Chris - and then the Wildcat Shelter </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> June 23, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 103<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0530h @ the Pochuck Mtn Shelter to blog<br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1344.4 mile @ 0729h at Pochuck Mtn Shelter <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b> 9<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 3<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> low 70s, clear, arid, light breeze, perfect <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1368.0 mile @ 2003h at Wildcat Shelter <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 24 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 4<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b>8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 3<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Breezy, warm, mostly sunny, upper 70s, very nice. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b> 2:28<br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> In tent at 2115h to chat and journal. Asleep at 2255h <br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b> tent at shelter<br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $5.24 (Bananas and ice cream at Heaven Hill Farms) <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> no <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> Smooth. Then rocky on the climb and alternating smooth and rocky after that. There was a steep, rocky climb today! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Somewhere along the Trail today I lost my little wrist compass that my brother, Kyle (Phlegm) gave me. I wore it on the Road ID bracelet that Kyle had also given me. Sorry, brother! I miss it terribly for it reminds me of you and I consult it all the time! <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 7 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 5 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 35 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 9 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 5<br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 2 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 19 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 1 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> If You Don't Know Me by Now - Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes <br/> <li> New York, New York - Frank Sinatra <br/> <li> Cat Scratch Fever - Ted Nugent <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Unknown <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Chris & Ozzy (SH). Texas Billy. There was no sign of No Trace and Unbreakable. I really thought I would have caught up to them and was surprised not to find then in the shelter! Oh darn! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Beef jerky from iMax. A water cash filled by the nice folks at Angel Top Farm! A nice fellow named Jeff (whose brother thru-hiked the AT) provided water and Oreos at the Wawayanda Shelter. I feel like I'm back down South. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> A wide variety of plants and trees. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Nothing noteworthy. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> A couple on Pochuck Mtn. Pinwheels Vista. Prospect Rock, the highest point on the AT in New York. The Eastern Pinnacles and Cat Rocks were excellent views at the end of the day! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> Heaven Hill Farm for food, fruit, ice cream, water, and electrical power! Heavenly! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> Blisters, knee swollen, calves stiff and sore. Chafing is better because it isn't hot and humid like the past few days. Chris' Blister Bloc worked well on the blisters on my right foot, but somehow I developed three blisters on my left foot: one on the heel, one on top of my 4th toe and one on my arch of all places, due, I think, to a thorn stuck in my sock. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> I'm feeling great and happy to have some company. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I enjoyed the mile of boardwalk walking today. It was a different and beautiful experience. And level! <br/> <li> Climbing up Wawayanda Mountain we were serenaded by a band playing at the Hippy Fest at the for of the mountain. <br/> <li> There were a couple of great creeks on the hike today and I wish we could have stayed longer at each. <br/> <li> We climbed Prospect Rock, the highest point on the AT in New York. <br/> <li> I hear the Wawayanda State Park is very nice. <br/> <li> This was a fantastic day! One of the best I've had on the AT! A very diverse, interesting, and attractive array of flora, terrain, vistas, and attractions. A microcosm of the AT all rolled into one 24-mile hike! <br/> <li> Ozzy and Chris were fantastic and stoic. Despite blisters, big miles, and sore legs they did not complain and seemed to have of fun. I thought we had some great conversations and covered lots of miles. We traveled at an impressive speed of 2.4 mph. The guys would have been faster but they had to wait for me at the bottom of the rocky slopes, for I was much slower than they were on the downhills. They were great companions and real men. <br/> <li> I've made it to New York! Five more states to go! <br/> <li> We had run out of water by the end of the day and were anxious to get to the shelter and enjoy some big, tasty meals. Unfortunately, upon arriving at the shelter as the sun was setting, we found that the spring at the shelter had gone dry, so there was no water and no cooking. We ate everything we had that had some water content, especially fruit - dried our otherwise. Chris had a little water to make tea and shared it with me. (He had picked up a bottle of honey from Heaven Hill Farms and we added some to the hot drink.) Will have to get up early and get water a couple of miles further north. <br/> <li> I offered to let Chris try or my hammock for the night. He took me up on the offer and I bunked with Ozzy in his tent. We talked about our kids and their school. <br/> <li> Today was a long, but good day. <br/> <li> I want to say a big "Thank you!" to Jane and Stacey, the wives of Ozzy and Chris, and their children for allowing their husband and father to come play with me in the woods for a few days. Their company did a great deal to lift my spirits. Thanks for loaning them to me! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today:</b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Finding water along the AT in New York is already proving difficult! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> No report tonight. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <br/> <p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FotXxNtSgYw/UADkGb2am0I/AAAAAAAAFaU/Nc1vIsNojrI/s0/2012-06-23_06-46-47_499.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FotXxNtSgYw/UADkGb2am0I/AAAAAAAAFaU/Nc1vIsNojrI/s400/2012-06-23_06-46-47_499.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vv1NENffsC0/UADkHUIbWII/AAAAAAAAFac/NVBUz578-RU/s0/2012-06-23_07-24-42_343.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vv1NENffsC0/UADkHUIbWII/AAAAAAAAFac/NVBUz578-RU/s400/2012-06-23_07-24-42_343.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-n1s8aUINTic/UADkIsV0uZI/AAAAAAAAFak/ib0SGmDJVS8/s0/2012-06-23_07-43-48_622.jpg'><img 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src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pb2GizOab5I/UADklv-U9eI/AAAAAAAAFdM/6nh1zDlDTUM/s400/2012-06-23_15-52-03_195.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KyYlGjRqxb0/UADkkInN79I/AAAAAAAAFdE/bAmZHqP-gY4/s0/2012-06-23_16-02-31_20.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KyYlGjRqxb0/UADkkInN79I/AAAAAAAAFdE/bAmZHqP-gY4/s400/2012-06-23_16-02-31_20.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_2xau2Zapxk/UADkomIPd3I/AAAAAAAAFdc/iOLx5fS8Bu0/s0/2012-06-23_16-05-24_803.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_2xau2Zapxk/UADkomIPd3I/AAAAAAAAFdc/iOLx5fS8Bu0/s400/2012-06-23_16-05-24_803.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nXsJJdLCzlg/UADknIf6fnI/AAAAAAAAFdU/mtzC655M6WQ/s0/2012-06-23_16-10-46_939.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nXsJJdLCzlg/UADknIf6fnI/AAAAAAAAFdU/mtzC655M6WQ/s400/2012-06-23_16-10-46_939.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XbYmDUlT8kM/UADkrVBimbI/AAAAAAAAFds/1Ny33RXUiBY/s0/2012-06-23_16-47-50_229.jpg'><img 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src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_kjeU29sjoU/UADkv92_AAI/AAAAAAAAFeM/Ts7PCQ_dKN4/s400/2012-06-23_19-41-26_249.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MpwhWiYJHz4/UADkvOzQbNI/AAAAAAAAFeE/rv5dFEXqqn4/s0/2012-06-23_17-21-09_899.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MpwhWiYJHz4/UADkvOzQbNI/AAAAAAAAFeE/rv5dFEXqqn4/s400/2012-06-23_17-21-09_899.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XUjgAppHnbU/UADkw3HTyuI/AAAAAAAAFeU/NIqBBz8Fwx0/s0/2012-06-23_20-19-41_836.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XUjgAppHnbU/UADkw3HTyuI/AAAAAAAAFeU/NIqBBz8Fwx0/s400/2012-06-23_20-19-41_836.jpg' /></a></p><div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6</div>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-103-perfect-day-with-ozzy-and-chris_13.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-4272559193151542949Fri, 13 Jul 2012 19:47:00 +00002012-07-13T15:01:12.451-07:00Day 102. A fast, flat, and fun day with Chris and Ozzy<b>Day 102. A fast, flat, and fun day with Chris and Ozzy </b><br> <br/> <b>Date: </b> June 22, 2012<br> <br/> <b>Day number: </b> 102<br> <br/> <b>Wake info: </b> 0455h @ stealth campsite near the beach of High Point State Park <br> <br/> <b>Start Mile Marker (MM) & Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1330.3 mile @ 0842h at High Point State Park<br> <br/> <b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 3<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b> 8<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 3<br> <br/> <b> Start weather: </b> Pleasant, mild, very slight breeze, mostly sunny, 70s, but rapidly high 80s and low 90s <br/> <p> <br/> <b> End MM & TOD: </b> 1344.4 mile @ 1715h at Pochuck Mtn Shelter <br> <br/> <b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 14.4 miles <br> <br/> <b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 4<br> <br/> <b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b> 9<br> <br/> <b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br> <br/> <b> End weather: </b> Hot and humid, sunny, high 80s and low 90s. But in the afternoon we had heavy rain and thunderstorms. Clear and cooler (70s) at night. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Resting time: </b>2:50<br> <br/> <b> Bedtime: </b> In bed at 2012h to journal. Asleep by 2150h <br> <br/> <b> Where slept: </b> floor of the Pochuck Mtn Shelter<br> <br/> <b> Money spent: </b> $0 <br> <br/> <b> Resupply: </b> Yes. A few meals and snacks to augment my depleted stores. Hand delivered from Kathleen via Chris. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail conditions: </b> A short distance after High Point State Park the Trail got a bit smoother with fewer rocks. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> None <br/> </ul> <br/> <b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 8 Liters<br> <br/> <b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 12 minutes <br> <br/> <b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 38 lbs <br> <br/> <b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 12 <br> <br/> <b> Number of road miles: </b> 0.9 <br> <br/> <b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 1 <br> <br/> <b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 11<br> <br/> <b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br> <br/> <b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <p> <br/> <b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> None <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Happenings at home: </b> Josie's poison ivy rash had gotten worse and now she, too, is on steroids. <br/> <p> <br/> <b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Chris and Ozzie - friends from home. (Our children go to school together.) We didn't see one soul on the Trail until we were at the shelter and then met briefly two SOBO SH: IMax and Salamander. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Trail Magic: </b> Ozzie brought a cooler filled with ice cold drinks, water, and pudding. Unfortunately he wasn't planning on carrying the 100 lb box with him on our hike, but I did enjoy a drink, water, and pudding in the State Park office parking lot! Even more special, his daughter, Sara had packed me a bag of plump, delicious blueberries that I plan on eating with tomorrow's oatmeal. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Flora: </b> The usual woods. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Fauna: </b> Wild turkey. Three deer. Snapping turtle. Crayfish. Two bald eagles! Egret and cranes. Monarch butterflies. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Vistas: </b> High Point SP <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Attractions: </b> The High Point State Park Monument marking the highest point in New Jersey. The Murray property. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of body: </b> Not wanting the blister on my left Achilles heel to worsen, I dressed with Hydropel, Molefoam Padding, and duct tape this morning. The ball of that same foot is still sore this morning. In the afternoon, the blister on my right Achilles heel was painful. At the abandoned house Chris gave me a couple of Band-Aid Blister Bloc pads and after that I felt much better. The chafing and rash on my hips due to being constantly wet with sweat and rain is getting worse and growing more painful. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> State of mind: </b> Very happy to have Chris and Ozzy here! I didn't realize hire lonely I've been. <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Notes: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> I did some serious stealth camping at High Point State Park last night. The skies were clear and there was no call for rain in the morning, so I slept without the rainfly. Needless to say, I was surprised at 4:55 this morning to be awoken by rain. And this was my day to sleep late! So I quickly took down the hammock, packed my sleeping bag in the waterproof stuff sack, grabbed my gear, and hightailed it to the only place around with a roof. You guessed it, the bathroom! By the time I got there the rain had stopped (of course) but by then I was awake. So I made breakfast, finished a couple of blogs, and waited for Ozzie and Chris to show up. <br/> <li> So I'm making my breakfast - a big pot of oatmeal - and everything is going great. The sun is shining, a cool breeze is blowing so the bugs aren't a problem, I've got a ready supply of potable water from a spigot at the Park, and I've got a great rock to sit on while I cook. And then, just as I'm taking my first bite, the pot falls out of my hands and lands top down - of course - on the ground. My oatmeal is now in a big pile on the grass and dirt and I have no other breakfasts to cook. So I did what any self-respecting thru-hiker would do. I ate it. But I stopped before reaching dirt level! <br/> <li> Ozzie's and Chris's kids are schoolmates with Archer and Josie, and that's how we became friends. Both of these guys are in great shape, so I anticipate no problems for them on the hike today. I just hope the rocks and misquotes aren't bad. And I hope the predicted rain holds off until we make camp. <br/> <li> Seven miles into our hike we were in need of water and came across the property of John Murray, which had a water pump and a rustic, but tidy, shack that thru-hikers can use to rest, stay the night, or just get out of the rain as we did. We met the owner who did his thru in 1989. Super guy! A photographer who had one of the best Katahdin photos I've seen. Ozzy weighed his pack at John's place; it was heavy at 49 pounds. <br/> <li> Ozzy and Chris are awesome to have around! They are excellent hikers and fantastic companions. The miles are just flying by! <br/> <li> We were in the middle of a pretty major lightning and thunderstorm when we came upon an abandoned home and sequestered ourselves there while the storm passed. We dried out and watched the progress of the storm on radar using my Droid phone's Weather Bug app. My guidebook lists this place as a source of good water (it was) so I'm guessing that the ATC purchased the property to provide hikers with water in an otherwise dry area. <br/> <li> We made it to the shelter after the storm. More rain was likely so we decided to stay put. <br/> <li> We had fun cooking and tasting each other's tasty meals. I'm so glad the guys are here with me! <br/> <li> The blister pads that Chris have me worked well. <br/> <li> IMax told me the RHP Shelter was not to be missed. <br/> <li> I must have attracted all the mosquitoes in a 5 mile radius, for all my mosquito bites have mosquito bites! <br/> <li> I'm tired and getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, so I'm going to bed! In the shelter the only way to hide from the skeeters is to put on long johns and hide in your sleeping bag. To bad the night is not a cool one. <br/> <li> I wish there was a water source here. I'm thirsty, but need to save water for tomorrow. <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Lessons learned/confirmed today: </b> <br/> <ul> <br/> <li> Hang the food bag in top of the bear box so mice don't get them. Thanks for the tip Ozzy! <br/> </ul> <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> I charged all my electronic devices at the bathroom in the beach parking lot at the state Park. The PEG behaved as expected - which was unusual with this particular unit. The LED turned on when plugged it and changed from red, to green, to blinking green without my having to press the button. So I was optimistic and wanted to see if it would charge via my hiking. I used the PEG to charge my phone and in a couple of minutes it went from blinking green to green. I unplugged it and went hiking. Some time within the first couple of hours of hiking the PEG went to blinking green! I'm now charging my phone again with the PEG but this time more significantly. After 58 minutes my phone reached 100%. I unplugged the PEG and will see if I can charge it tomorrow as I walk. I'm optimistic! <br/> <p> <br/> <b> Photos: </b><p> <p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Zg7_dz83VqY/UAB65p0Zi-I/AAAAAAAAFTA/9do2Hc4qKrA/s0/2012-06-22_06-12-19_323.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Zg7_dz83VqY/UAB65p0Zi-I/AAAAAAAAFTA/9do2Hc4qKrA/s400/2012-06-22_06-12-19_323.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3N1IJx0UMgg/UAB667zcYBI/AAAAAAAAFTI/soGTxsZaPdk/s0/2012-06-22_06-34-14_19.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3N1IJx0UMgg/UAB667zcYBI/AAAAAAAAFTI/soGTxsZaPdk/s400/2012-06-22_06-34-14_19.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KZikC_EcH5Q/UAB68MeKKfI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/7J7gf5MG4G4/s0/2012-06-22_08-28-46_531.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KZikC_EcH5Q/UAB68MeKKfI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/7J7gf5MG4G4/s400/2012-06-22_08-28-46_531.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-M0zXOUs9Ohw/UAB68-0bEAI/AAAAAAAAFTY/69qSTtL92ts/s0/2012-06-22_08-43-31_409.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-M0zXOUs9Ohw/UAB68-0bEAI/AAAAAAAAFTY/69qSTtL92ts/s400/2012-06-22_08-43-31_409.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NF8FzQL6-lk/UAB6-AeKe1I/AAAAAAAAFTg/2_FytU0TO8I/s0/2012-06-22_08-44-36_884.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NF8FzQL6-lk/UAB6-AeKe1I/AAAAAAAAFTg/2_FytU0TO8I/s400/2012-06-22_08-44-36_884.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-x50xiReVvig/UAB6_szRKOI/AAAAAAAAFTo/7kOSi7ruGKo/s0/2012-06-22_09-04-32_324.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-x50xiReVvig/UAB6_szRKOI/AAAAAAAAFTo/7kOSi7ruGKo/s400/2012-06-22_09-04-32_324.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Xs9MC7Crvzs/UAB7Aw0592I/AAAAAAAAFTw/Mvl9_yshXRA/s0/2012-06-22_09-13-21_276.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Xs9MC7Crvzs/UAB7Aw0592I/AAAAAAAAFTw/Mvl9_yshXRA/s400/2012-06-22_09-13-21_276.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_cRanAHVuJI/UAB7CEFuHII/AAAAAAAAFT4/unksG5U8TnU/s0/2012-06-22_10-54-12_589.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_cRanAHVuJI/UAB7CEFuHII/AAAAAAAAFT4/unksG5U8TnU/s400/2012-06-22_10-54-12_589.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-02dNbPb0oZ8/UAB7Dg0KOvI/AAAAAAAAFUA/oO_9YGXunsM/s0/2012-06-22_11-06-42_101.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-02dNbPb0oZ8/UAB7Dg0KOvI/AAAAAAAAFUA/oO_9YGXunsM/s400/2012-06-22_11-06-42_101.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fzK1GY8l-hc/UAB7FRFHQaI/AAAAAAAAFUI/0HcK8oKFYG8/s0/2012-06-22_11-32-00_478.jpg'><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fzK1GY8l-hc/UAB7FRFHQaI/AAAAAAAAFUI/0HcK8oKFYG8/s400/2012-06-22_11-32-00_478.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4eBuWFj0w60/UAB7GgXEd6I/AAAAAAAAFUQ/GXl1GSRiJSI/s0/2012-06-22_12-22-13_445.jpg'><img src='http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4eBuWFj0w60/UAB7GgXEd6I/AAAAAAAAFUQ/GXl1GSRiJSI/s400/2012-06-22_12-22-13_445.jpg' /></a></p><p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TgI4EHBBkog/UAB7HuC_70I/AAAAAAAAFUY/woQNozT7Dvg/s0/2012-06-22_12-49-29_645.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TgI4EHBBkog/UAB7HuC_70I/AAAAAAAAFUY/woQNozT7Dvg/s400/2012-06-22_12-49-29_645.jpg' /></a></p><p><a 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01 Jul 2012 05:04:00 +00002012-06-30T22:04:22.621-07:00Day 101. A long, rocky day in Pennsylvania, uh, I mean, New Jersey!<b>Day 101. A long, rocky day in Pennsylvania, uh, I mean, New Jersey! </b><br /> <br /><b>Date: </b> June 21, 2012<br /><br /><b>Day number: </b> 101<br /> <br /><b>Wake info: </b> 0537h @ the mosquito infested campsite just south of Rattlesnake Mtn to journal. Out of the hammock at 0645h. <br /> <br /><b>Start Mile Marker (MM) &amp; Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1309.8 mile @ 0710h at campsite near Rattlesnake Mtn <br /> <br /><b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b>2<br /> <br /><b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b> 7<br /> <br /><b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b> 5<br /> <br /><b> Start weather: </b> Clear, calm (unfortunately), pleasant, low 70s. Another hot day is predicted. <br /><br /><b> End MM &amp; TOD: </b> 1330.3 mile @ 1952h at High Point State Park <br /> <br /><b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 21.2 miles <br /> <br /><b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 3<br /> <br /><b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b> 7<br /> <br /><b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 2<br /> <br /><b> End weather: </b> Hot, humid, clear, lower 90s<br /><br /><br /><b> Resting time: </b> 4:19<br /> <br /><b> Bedtime: </b> In hammock @ 2245h to read. Asleep by 2246h. <br /> <br /><b> Where slept: </b>hammock @ stealth site near the Park's beach<br /> <br /><b> Money spent: </b> $6 for chips, a tasteless sandwich, and bad service<br /> <br /><b> Resupply: </b> Sort of. I need to make a 4-day box of food last 5 days.<br /><br /><br /><b> Trail conditions: </b> In the morning a mix of rocky and smooth. Some rocks are wet from underground seeps so be careful! After that, the Trail became very rocky again. The last four days have been carbon copies of each other! Some of the Trail is unprotected from the sun, and much of it is not well-maintained. All day there were too many grasses and weedy plants to push through! <br /><br /><br /><b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b><br /><ul><br />&nbsp; <li> My shirt is getting holey! <br />&nbsp;</li><li> The water filter is starting to get hard to pump, indicating it may need to be replaced soon. </li></ul><br /><b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 14 Liters<br /> <br /><b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 12 minutes <br /> <br /><b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 40 lbs <br /> <br /><b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br /> <br /><b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 3 <br /> <br /><b> Number of road miles: </b> 6 miles (to make up time, I road walked from Culvers Gap to Sunrise Mtn, with a stop for water at Gren Anderson Shelter. I'll remind the purists out there that I've already hiked this section in August and technically don't need to walk it again.)&nbsp; <br /> <br /><b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 2<br /> <br /><b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 1 <br /> <br /><b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br /> <br /><b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 17<br /> <br /><b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 1 (Some of the rocks today are slanted on the side of the mountain. Most are dry, but a few have a thin film of water on them due to an underground seep. If the rocks are in the sun it is easy to tell which are dry and which are wet. The rock slab I slipped on was not sun lit and even after the fall I couldn't tell it was wet until I touched it. My feet just slipped out from under me, sideways. I landed on my right hip, elbow, and forearm. I'm not injured, but have abrasions on my forearm. I keep wondering when the day will come that I fall and really do some damage. <br /> <br /><b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br /> <br /><b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <br /><br /><b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br /><ul><br />&nbsp; <li> The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace<br />&nbsp;</li><li> Under Pressure - Queen<br />&nbsp;</li><li> Down Under - Men At Work<br />&nbsp;</li><li> Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me - Elton John<br />&nbsp;</li><li> Candle in the Wind - Elton John</li></ul><br />&nbsp; <br /><b> Happenings at home: </b> The kids played D&amp;D and other games at a friend's house all day. Kathleen dropped off supplies for me at Chris' house. <br /><br /><b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> Houdini in passing. He was the only other hiker, thru or otherwise, that I laid eyes on today. <br /> <br /><b> Trail Magic: </b> None<br /><br /><br /><b> Flora: </b> Sorry, I was too busy watching the rocks! <br /><br /> <br /><b> Fauna: </b> A large black bear on top of a hill munching on blueberries; it ran away as soon as it heard me. A deer in front of Green Anderson Shelter - it didn't see me and came rather close. Two beaver. Tons of squirrel and chipmunks, which, by the way, make more noise when they scamper than an adult bear - they startle me all the time! Whippoorwills, which I haven't heard since Shenandoah. Lots of frogs today. In fact, a dozen bullfrogs are serenading me right now while I prepare for sleep. Did I mention the mosquitoes? Fireflies (See Notes section below)<br /><br />&nbsp; <br /><b> Vistas: </b> Several today. <br /><br />&nbsp; <br /><b> Attractions: </b> Not "Joes To Go"! High Point State Park - I wish I were here at a time that the concessions and beach were open, though. This is the highest point in the state of New Jersey.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><b> State of body: </b> My left knee is a little swollen, but I'm not in pain. My left foot is what's hurting the most on me. There's a hot spot on the Achilles tendon and the pad of the foot is very tender. Too many miles on too many rocks. I'm ready to hike on dirt again! <br /><br /> <br /><b> State of mind: </b> I'm ready to hike on dirt again! <br /><br /> <br /><b> Notes: </b>&nbsp; <br /><br /><ul><br />&nbsp; <li> I awoke, broke camp with extreme celerity, and departed without breakfast because the mosquitoes were swarming - not as bad as last night, but bad. I'm outta here! <br />&nbsp;</li><li> I was the Web Walker this morning. Some of the strands were so thick I could actually hear then snapping as I walked through them. No joke! <br />&nbsp;</li><li> It's hot and humid today, but not as bad as yesterday. And there's a bit of a breeze that feels nice on the hill tops! <br />&nbsp;</li><li> It was hot and I needed water (which is very scarce today) so decided to eat at "Joes To Go" sandwich shop (with no tables or chairs) right off the Trail at US 206 at Culvers Gap. A sign on the door said, "Don't worry about the dog, beware of owner!" so I thought I should wash up, wear a clean shirt, and be extra polite. I thought, however, that he would be friendly to hikers because he had hiker signs out front and a bench for my "rear and gear." Big mistake! He was an old curmudgeon who ran a cash only business, wouldn't let me charge my phone on one of his six empty outlets, and refused to refill my water bottle. Oh I could pay for water, no problem. When I said I would pay to charge my phone, he got a mean grin on his face and said, "Five dollars." His regulars just laughed. When I tried to explain that the electricity for half an hour of charging was costing him much less than one penny and that it would be a nice way to attract hikers, he went nuts and threw me out of the place! He started yelling at me saying, "you guys are bleeding me! Get the #$&amp;@ out of my store! Now!" Then starts chanting, "Obama! Obama! Obama!" Looney-tunes! He did have nice A/C, but his food was tasteless. I'm telling every SOBO I meet to avoid this place! Go to the Gyp Tavern instead. <br />&nbsp;</li><li> Here's a physics lesson for Joe To Go - the guy who kicked me out of his store for suggesting that hikers be allowed to charge their phones in his store. Get your calculators ready! If we assume that my Razr is a 2 watt smartphone (it is), and that I was going to charge it for an hour (I wasn't, only 30 minutes), and that electricity in Jersey costs - oh let's go crazy - $0.20/kWh (it's actually more like $0.12/kWh), then to charge my phone would have cost his business a whopping $0.0004 or 0.04 CENTS! In other words, if 25 hikers had come into his store today (they didn't) and charged their phones each for one hour, the electricity would have cost him exactly one penny! That's not even penny wise and pound foolish. That's 1/25th penny wise and pound foolish! Good grief! <br />&nbsp;</li><li> I saw Houdini at the Gren Anderson Shelter. (Yay, I'm not alone out here!) He, too, complained of the swarms of mosquitoes last night. But he didn't sleep outside. Rather, he hiked <b>south&lt;\b&gt; nearly 3 miles back to a hotel. When a thru-hiker walks backwards for three miles, you know the bugs were horrendous! <br />&nbsp;</b></li><b><li> In most of the wooded areas, especially near water, the mosquitoes, black flies, and horse flies were just too aggressive to pause for any length of time. In some stretches, mosquitoes and biting flies were in crazy numbers! For perhaps a mile today the mosquitoes were so bad that I always had several on me - while I was hiking. Fast. Amazingly tenacious critters! With hiking poles under my arms I would be swatting with both hands nonstop while walking. I must have been a sight! <br />&nbsp;</li><li> There was excellent 3G phone strength at the Gren Anderson and Mashipacong Shelters.&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;</li><li> I'm excited to meet my friends, Ozzie and Chris, tomorrow. They will be joining me on the AT for three days. <br />&nbsp;</li><li> I made it to the State Park in two days after leaving Pennsylvania. When I did the same section (minus three miles) in August, it took me four days! What a difference 1300 miles makes, huh? <br />&nbsp;</li><li> The High Point Monument, which looks like the Washington Monument in DC, was lit up with numerous spotlights and it looked quite impressive up there on the hill. <br />&nbsp;</li><li> There's a nice breeze blowing tonight. And to top it all off, there was a fantastic light show put on by a few hundred lightning bugs in the forest! Like flashbulbs popping in a dark stadium, or the little twinkling of the embers at the end of a major firework. I tried to photograph and video the scene, but there just wasn't enough light. In a way I'm glad it couldn't be captured and recorded - that the show was for my eyes only. I just wish all my friends and family could have witnessed it with me. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a firefly display so magical. </li></b></ul><b><br /><br /><b> Lessons learned/confirmed today: </b> <br /><br /><ul><br />&nbsp; <li> Mosquitoes and biting flies are to a hiker what spurs and a lash are to a horse. <br />&nbsp;</li><li> Rotate the tips of your hiking poles so they wear evenly. (I did not do this at first.)</li></ul><br />&nbsp; <br /><b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> I charged the phone and the PEG in the bathroom AT the State Park's beach parking lot. I actually journaled while the phone charged. It's hot in here even at 10:30 pm! <br /><br />&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;<b> Photos: </b><br />&nbsp; <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-phcGBr69xDQ/T-_Zh1xcmWI/AAAAAAAAFQ8/KGxJ08t-KEM/s1600/2012-06-21_07-25-30_264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-phcGBr69xDQ/T-_Zh1xcmWI/AAAAAAAAFQ8/KGxJ08t-KEM/s320/2012-06-21_07-25-30_264.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--dgbaium0T4/T-_Zj4gVyII/AAAAAAAAFRE/e4k87SpOxYI/s1600/2012-06-21_08-16-59_680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--dgbaium0T4/T-_Zj4gVyII/AAAAAAAAFRE/e4k87SpOxYI/s320/2012-06-21_08-16-59_680.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I72vDYTJSEc/T-_ZlESmf9I/AAAAAAAAFRM/zvAplnW3qHw/s1600/2012-06-21_09-00-31_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I72vDYTJSEc/T-_ZlESmf9I/AAAAAAAAFRM/zvAplnW3qHw/s320/2012-06-21_09-00-31_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iz8wdoRgPLk/T-_Zn1CgjHI/AAAAAAAAFRU/gWJLVYl8I7s/s1600/2012-06-21_10-16-58_510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iz8wdoRgPLk/T-_Zn1CgjHI/AAAAAAAAFRU/gWJLVYl8I7s/s320/2012-06-21_10-16-58_510.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-crzt-wvTcdw/T-_ZsN3gYMI/AAAAAAAAFRc/swMqNBhRFcM/s1600/2012-06-21_10-37-14_598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-crzt-wvTcdw/T-_ZsN3gYMI/AAAAAAAAFRc/swMqNBhRFcM/s320/2012-06-21_10-37-14_598.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XiSJ2Vrw690/T-_ZtYKHTPI/AAAAAAAAFRk/rZMGqNaOFWI/s1600/2012-06-21_12-56-51_98.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XiSJ2Vrw690/T-_ZtYKHTPI/AAAAAAAAFRk/rZMGqNaOFWI/s320/2012-06-21_12-56-51_98.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZO5n9v3lKE0/T-_Z1j7t-_I/AAAAAAAAFRw/4OznsZsQDpw/s1600/2012-06-21_16-49-10_923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZO5n9v3lKE0/T-_Z1j7t-_I/AAAAAAAAFRw/4OznsZsQDpw/s320/2012-06-21_16-49-10_923.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OxEY1qfCTbA/T-_Z477H5xI/AAAAAAAAFR4/-z050u-I_BA/s1600/2012-06-21_18-17-50_360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OxEY1qfCTbA/T-_Z477H5xI/AAAAAAAAFR4/-z050u-I_BA/s320/2012-06-21_18-17-50_360.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RS_Hz5-D0os/T-_Z77CSMSI/AAAAAAAAFSA/jZ16FzoBswY/s1600/2012-06-21_19-13-49_619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RS_Hz5-D0os/T-_Z77CSMSI/AAAAAAAAFSA/jZ16FzoBswY/s320/2012-06-21_19-13-49_619.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c9t9VJE-Fxw/T-_Z_Vv_snI/AAAAAAAAFSI/HhxUBK1PoIQ/s1600/2012-06-21_19-24-32_512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c9t9VJE-Fxw/T-_Z_Vv_snI/AAAAAAAAFSI/HhxUBK1PoIQ/s320/2012-06-21_19-24-32_512.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-paEzfY4zdms/T-_aFzmewvI/AAAAAAAAFSQ/kDBTAS4GbiA/s1600/2012-06-21_19-58-28_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-paEzfY4zdms/T-_aFzmewvI/AAAAAAAAFSQ/kDBTAS4GbiA/s320/2012-06-21_19-58-28_10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x9yknucU_u0/T-_aKe-dI7I/AAAAAAAAFSY/k7sKiqgFoqQ/s1600/2012-06-21_20-12-23_57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x9yknucU_u0/T-_aKe-dI7I/AAAAAAAAFSY/k7sKiqgFoqQ/s320/2012-06-21_20-12-23_57.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rY1j9HRDmH0/T-_aLIr935I/AAAAAAAAFSg/iPWCRrsDBAU/s1600/2012-06-21_22-34-44_279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rY1j9HRDmH0/T-_aLIr935I/AAAAAAAAFSg/iPWCRrsDBAU/s320/2012-06-21_22-34-44_279.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></b>http://atstats.blogspot.com/2012/06/day-101-long-rocky-day-in-pennsylvania.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Odom)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6613797995859982017.post-6500227627216709020Sun, 01 Jul 2012 04:28:00 +00002012-06-30T21:28:59.027-07:00Day 100. A hot, mosquito infested Solstice into New Jersey<b>Day 100. A hot, mosquito infested Solstice into New Jersey </b><br /> <br /><b>Date: </b> June 20, 2012<br /><br /><b>Day number: </b> 100<br /> <br /><b>Wake info: </b> 0610h @ the Church of the Mountain Hostel<br /> <br /><b>Start Mile Marker (MM) &amp; Time of Day (TOD): </b> 1287.7 mile @ 0837h at Delaware Water Gap <br /> <br /><b> Pain scale AM (1-10): </b> 2<br /> <br /><b> Happiness scale AM (1-10): </b> 9<br /> <br /><b> Hunger scale AM (1-10): </b>1<br /> <br /><b> Start weather: </b> Hazy, warm, humid, sunny, upper 70s already! <br /><br /><b> End MM &amp; TOD: </b> 1309.8 mile @ 2101h at campsite just south of Rattlesnake Mtn <br /> <br /><b> Approximate miles covered today: </b> 22.3 miles <br /> <br /><b> Pain scale PM (1-10): </b> 3<br /> <br /><b> Happiness scale PM (1-10): </b> 6<br /> <br /><b> Hunger scale PM (1-10): </b> 6<br /> <br /><b> End weather: </b> Hot and humid all day, low to mid 90s but in the evening it cooled off.<br /><br /><br /><b> Resting time: </b>3:10<br /> <br /><b> Bedtime: </b> 2200h <br /> <br /><b> Where slept: </b>hammock @ campsite<br /> <br /><b> Money spent: </b> $12.89 (breakfast and tip at diner, and donation for hostel)<br /> <br /><b> Resupply: </b> no<br />&nbsp;<of><br /><b> Trail conditions: </b> Rocky - just like PA - but with a couple of flat, smooth sections. The long 1,200 ft climb to the top </of><br />of Kittatinny Mtn was not steep and not too rocky. However once I reached Sunfish Pond, the Trail became rocky - Pennsylvania <br />rocky - with only a few patches of flat and smooth trail. There was even a rock climb, short and fun, toward the end of the hike. <br />A good portion of the AT is unprotected from the sun in this section, so take precautions. Also, the Trail was not well-maintained <br />in many parts here and had to walk among much high grass. I'm sure I'm covered with ticks. <br /><br /><br /><b> Issues with Equipment and Clothing: </b><br /><ul><br />&nbsp; <li> I need to spend some time adjusting my hip belt on my pack for it's out of whack. </li></ul><br /><b> Liters of water consumed: </b> 15 Liters! <br /> <br /><b> Approx fuel burn time: </b> 0 minutes <br /> <br /><b> Approx. pack weight: </b> 42 lbs <br /> <br /><b> Number of river fords: </b> 0 <br /> <br /><b> Number of paved road X-ings: </b> 0 <br /> <br /><b> Number of road miles: </b> 0 <br /> <br /><b> Number of named mountain summits: </b> 1<br /> <br /><b> Number of mountain summits: </b> 1&nbsp; <br /> <br /><b> Number of wrong turns: </b> 0 <br /> <br /><b> Number of times I stubbed a toe: </b> 27<br /> <br /><b> Number of times I've fallen: </b> 0 <br /> <br /><b> Number of bugs swallowed: </b> 0 <br /> <br /><b> Number and location of showers: </b> 0 <br /><br /><b> Songs playing in my head: </b> <br /><ul><br />&nbsp; <li> Who Could it be Now - Men AT Work<br />&nbsp;</li><li> Hey Mr. Tambourine Man - Bob Dylan (sung at the top of my lungs on the I-81 bridge because the sound of traffic was sure to <br />drown out my horrible singing. Believe it or not, it was the most fun I've had on the Trail for a while! Actually, yesterday I was <br />dancing down the Trail while listening to some rock music and that was pretty fun, too!)</li></ul><br />&nbsp; <br /><b> Happenings at home: </b> Fun in the pool and just playing at a friend's house. When I called home Josie was in bed reading and <br />Archer was in the tub soaking his poison ivy rash. <br /><br /><b>Companions (Assume thru-hikers unless noted SH for Section Hiker or DH for Day Hiker):</b> I didn't see a soul hiking today! I <br />saw Huff &amp; Puff at breakfast. (Puff is feeling better but is still very sore - "bruised, not broken".) I did run into Payman &amp; Two <br />Legs at a campsite (the same one I stayed in on Day 1 of my hike of New Jersey in August), and I had to walk around a fellow who <br />had pitched his tent literally on the AT itself - very bad form! <br /> <br /><b> Trail Magic: </b> I didn't run into any nude hikers today.<br /><br /><br /><b> Flora: </b> Rhododendrons, mountain laurel, ripe blueberries, and a wide variety of diverse trees.<br /><br /> <br /><b> Fauna: </b> Chipmunks everywhere. Huge numbers of huge bullfrog tadpoles in Sunfish Pond. Two black racers. Jackrabbit. Deer <br />with fawn. Porcupine. A large black bear spotted on the trail right in front of me about 0.2 miles from my campsite - can you say <br />"bear bag"? Swarms of mosquitoes - see Notes section below.<br /><br />&nbsp; <br /><b> Vistas: </b> Several<br /><br />&nbsp; <br /><b> Attractions: </b> Sunfish Pond, which is the southernmost glacial pond on the AT, carved out eons ago by a slow, southward <br />advancing glacier. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><b> State of body: </b> Feeling good.<br /><br /> <br /><b> State of mind: </b> Feeling good. The mosquitoes at night were driving me a little nuts (see Notes below).<br /><br /> <br /><b> Notes: </b>&nbsp; <br /><br /><ul><br />&nbsp; <li> I was up late last night blogging, so I awoke late (6:10 am), slapped some Hydropel on my feet, and hustled down to the <br />town's diner to eat a quick breakfast so I could get on the Trail before it got hot. Breakfast was good and inexpensive, and it <br />should help me get my body moving up the mountain! <br />&nbsp;</li><li> My feet are a little swollen - probably due to the lack of water over the past two days - so I'm sucking down water like <br />there's no tomorrow!&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;</li><li> It's the Summer Solstice, which for (some) hikers means a day of hiking in the nude. It's a long-standing tradition that <br />I'll not be taking part of to the relief of any of those around me! <br />&nbsp;</li><li> I entered New Jersey just moments after my hike began today. Only six more state lines to cross! And a lit of those will be <br />ticked off in rapid succession - I hope! <br />&nbsp;</li><li> Today marks the 100th day of my thru-hike! Kinda cool that it falls on the Solstice!<br />&nbsp;</li><li> Today I passed the 1,300-mile mark, and have completed 60% of the Trail! <br />&nbsp;</li><li> They are calling for a scorcher today - fitting that it falls on the first day of summer. We'll see if it holds up to <br />Mississippi standards. <br />&nbsp;</li><li> I hiked most of New Jersey this past August so technically I could skip this section and still maintain my thru-hiker status <br />since it falls within the same year. But I'm interested to see how my perceptions of the Trail here gave changed since I've put <br />1,300 miles behind me. It's amazing how much my mind is at ease about the next couple of days, simply because I've done it before. <br />Again, I get a glimpse into the mind of those former thru-hikers who were so calm and confident way back in Georgia. I am itching <br />to hit the Trail! <br />&nbsp;</li><li> I applied the stick of Body Glide I bought at the outfitters yesterday in anticipation of the chafing that may occur in <br />today's heat. So far it is working well - everything is moving as smooth as silk. <br />&nbsp;</li><li> I was all business today; head down hiking. Fortunately I didn't run into any Solstice nudes. In fact, I saw no one hiking <br />on the Trail today. The heat slowed me down somewhat, but I was careful to watch for signs of dehydration, drank copious amounts <br />of water, and cooled off at every water source I passed by splashing my face and soaking my shirt. This was very refreshing and <br />cooled me considerably. <br />&nbsp;</li><li> There was excellent cold water from the pump at Blue Mtn Lakes Road! <br />&nbsp;</li><li> I hope Two Legs doesn't quit tomorrow after she summits that short rock climb near the end of my hike today. (After her <br />climb out of Lehigh Gap, she vowed to return to Germany if there were any more rock climbs on the AT. I don't know what she's <br />going to think of New Hampshire!) <br />&nbsp;</li><li> It was getting dark but when I would stop at a place that looked promising to camp, swarms of mosquitoes would descend on me <br />within a minute. Thousands of them! The swarms were so loud that I was later able to record them on my phone while I was in my <br />hammock! I thought they were angry hornets at first because I could hear them from far away. Everywhere I stopped the mosquitoes <br />swarmed! They were huge and the swarms were so thick I could scoop then up in my hands! Seriously, this is the most agitated and <br />discombobulated I've been in the woods. I could easily see why some folks and animals in Alaska have been killed by them. They <br />drive you nuts, distract you from protecting yourself, and just swarm on! I strung up the hammock in record time, yet in seconds I <br />was covered by dozens of them! It took all I had to concentrate on getting the hammock strung up so I could get in and be <br />protected by the bug netting. I am writing this in my hammock, which is literally covered in a swarm of mosquitoes.&nbsp; I really feel <br />sorry for the ultralight hikers without a tent! Sleeping in a shelter would be murder! There was no way I was cooking dinner <br />tonight, but I ate a little of my dry food in my hammock, which I know is not smart in bear country. New Jersey has the highest <br />density of bears on the entire AT. In fact, I spotted a huge black bear just before arriving at camp so I'll need to extra careful <br />about my food, toothpaste, and anything else with a foody scent. I did manage to race out of my protected cocoon to hang my bear <br />bag. <br />&nbsp;</li><li> Today's heat and humidity wasn't that bad, but I was sweating, to be sure! There was a constant stream of the salty liquid <br />running off the tips of my nose and elbows. But it wasn't as bad as it was in the un-air conditioned gyms during summer basketball <br />practices and campus down in Mississippi when I was a kid! </li></ul><br /><br /><b> Lessons learned/confirmed today: </b> <br /><br /><ul><br />&nbsp; <li> Mosquitoes are vile little creatures!</li></ul><br />&nbsp; <br /><b> Droid Phone Notes: </b> I charged the phone with the PEG (from 49% to 98% in 3 hours), but it appears the unit is not charging <br />as I hike and will be sent back. <br /><br />&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;<b> Photos: </b><br />&nbsp; <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x64mMb1pTVY/T-_QYigpkdI/AAAAAAAAFNs/s2j1IV4rwfU/s1600/2012-06-20_06-43-27_715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x64mMb1pTVY/T-_QYigpkdI/AAAAAAAAFNs/s2j1IV4rwfU/s320/2012-06-20_06-43-27_715.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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